Placental RTN3L‐dependent ER‐Phagy Contributes to Fetal Testicular Dysplasia Upon Environmental Stress

Abstract Prenatal environmental stress damages fetal testicular development, leading to male infertility. However, the precise mechanisms underlying the impact of gestational environmental stress on fetal testicular development require further investigation. This study demonstrates that gestational...

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Main Authors: Ye‐Xin Luo, Hua‐Long Zhu, Bin‐Bin Huang, Cheng‐Fang Sun, Xin‐Xin Zhang, Xin‐Run Wang, Yi‐Fan Hu, Xu‐Dong Zhang, Shen‐Dong Xu, Huan Zhou, Rui Pan, Wei Chang, Zhi Yuan, Yong‐Wei Xiong, Xiao‐Feng Xu, Ling‐Li Zhao, De‐Xiang Xu, Hua Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-07-01
Series:Advanced Science
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202500924
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author Ye‐Xin Luo
Hua‐Long Zhu
Bin‐Bin Huang
Cheng‐Fang Sun
Xin‐Xin Zhang
Xin‐Run Wang
Yi‐Fan Hu
Xu‐Dong Zhang
Shen‐Dong Xu
Huan Zhou
Rui Pan
Wei Chang
Zhi Yuan
Yong‐Wei Xiong
Xiao‐Feng Xu
Ling‐Li Zhao
De‐Xiang Xu
Hua Wang
author_facet Ye‐Xin Luo
Hua‐Long Zhu
Bin‐Bin Huang
Cheng‐Fang Sun
Xin‐Xin Zhang
Xin‐Run Wang
Yi‐Fan Hu
Xu‐Dong Zhang
Shen‐Dong Xu
Huan Zhou
Rui Pan
Wei Chang
Zhi Yuan
Yong‐Wei Xiong
Xiao‐Feng Xu
Ling‐Li Zhao
De‐Xiang Xu
Hua Wang
author_sort Ye‐Xin Luo
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Prenatal environmental stress damages fetal testicular development, leading to male infertility. However, the precise mechanisms underlying the impact of gestational environmental stress on fetal testicular development require further investigation. This study demonstrates that gestational environmental stressor cadmium exposure caused placental estradiol synthesis inhibition and fetal testicular dysplasia. Gestational estradiol supplementation restores fetal testicular dysplasia caused by environmental stress‐induced placental estradiol synthesis inhibition. Analysis of human placentae and cadmium‐stimulated human primary placental trophoblasts confirmed that ER‐phagy is associated with the inhibition of estradiol synthesis in placentae. Subsequently, the data reveals that environmental stress significantly activates RTN3L‐mediated ER‐phagy. RTN3L‐deficient cells and placental Rtn3l‐specific knockout mice confirm that environmental stress‐activated RTN3L‐mediated ER‐phagy inhibited placental estradiol synthesis. Total N6‐methyladenosine level increasing in gestational environmental stress‐exposed placentae. METTL3‐mediated N6‐methyladenosine modification suppression obviously restrains environmental stress‐activated RTN3L‐dependent ER‐phagy. In conclusion, gestational environmental stress activates ER‐phagy by increasing placental Rtn3l mRNA N6‐methyladenosine modification, inhibiting placental estradiol synthesis, and contributing to fetal testicular dysplasia. The study demonstrates the early prevention and treatment of adult male infertility from the perspective of fetal‐derived diseases.
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spelling doaj-art-e9c0350569124083a5bcb8f3ee3e70632025-08-20T03:15:35ZengWileyAdvanced Science2198-38442025-07-011225n/an/a10.1002/advs.202500924Placental RTN3L‐dependent ER‐Phagy Contributes to Fetal Testicular Dysplasia Upon Environmental StressYe‐Xin Luo0Hua‐Long Zhu1Bin‐Bin Huang2Cheng‐Fang Sun3Xin‐Xin Zhang4Xin‐Run Wang5Yi‐Fan Hu6Xu‐Dong Zhang7Shen‐Dong Xu8Huan Zhou9Rui Pan10Wei Chang11Zhi Yuan12Yong‐Wei Xiong13Xiao‐Feng Xu14Ling‐Li Zhao15De‐Xiang Xu16Hua Wang17Department of Toxicology Center for Big Data and Population Health of IHM School of Public Health Anhui Medical University Hefei 230022 ChinaDepartment of Toxicology Center for Big Data and Population Health of IHM School of Public Health Anhui Medical University Hefei 230022 ChinaDepartment of Maternal Child & Adolescent Health School of Public Health Anhui Medical University Hefei 230022 ChinaDepartment of Toxicology Center for Big Data and Population Health of IHM School of Public Health Anhui Medical University Hefei 230022 ChinaDepartment of Toxicology Center for Big Data and Population Health of IHM School of Public Health Anhui Medical University Hefei 230022 ChinaDepartment of Toxicology Center for Big Data and Population Health of IHM School of Public Health Anhui Medical University Hefei 230022 ChinaDepartment of Toxicology Center for Big Data and Population Health of IHM School of Public Health Anhui Medical University Hefei 230022 ChinaDepartment of Toxicology Center for Big Data and Population Health of IHM School of Public Health Anhui Medical University Hefei 230022 ChinaDepartment of Toxicology Center for Big Data and Population Health of IHM School of Public Health Anhui Medical University Hefei 230022 ChinaDepartment of Toxicology Center for Big Data and Population Health of IHM School of Public Health Anhui Medical University Hefei 230022 ChinaDepartment of Toxicology Center for Big Data and Population Health of IHM School of Public Health Anhui Medical University Hefei 230022 ChinaDepartment of Toxicology Center for Big Data and Population Health of IHM School of Public Health Anhui Medical University Hefei 230022 ChinaDepartment of Toxicology Center for Big Data and Population Health of IHM School of Public Health Anhui Medical University Hefei 230022 ChinaDepartment of Toxicology Center for Big Data and Population Health of IHM School of Public Health Anhui Medical University Hefei 230022 ChinaReproductive Medicine Center Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University Hefei 230022 ChinaDepartment of Toxicology Center for Big Data and Population Health of IHM School of Public Health Anhui Medical University Hefei 230022 ChinaDepartment of Toxicology Center for Big Data and Population Health of IHM School of Public Health Anhui Medical University Hefei 230022 ChinaDepartment of Toxicology Center for Big Data and Population Health of IHM School of Public Health Anhui Medical University Hefei 230022 ChinaAbstract Prenatal environmental stress damages fetal testicular development, leading to male infertility. However, the precise mechanisms underlying the impact of gestational environmental stress on fetal testicular development require further investigation. This study demonstrates that gestational environmental stressor cadmium exposure caused placental estradiol synthesis inhibition and fetal testicular dysplasia. Gestational estradiol supplementation restores fetal testicular dysplasia caused by environmental stress‐induced placental estradiol synthesis inhibition. Analysis of human placentae and cadmium‐stimulated human primary placental trophoblasts confirmed that ER‐phagy is associated with the inhibition of estradiol synthesis in placentae. Subsequently, the data reveals that environmental stress significantly activates RTN3L‐mediated ER‐phagy. RTN3L‐deficient cells and placental Rtn3l‐specific knockout mice confirm that environmental stress‐activated RTN3L‐mediated ER‐phagy inhibited placental estradiol synthesis. Total N6‐methyladenosine level increasing in gestational environmental stress‐exposed placentae. METTL3‐mediated N6‐methyladenosine modification suppression obviously restrains environmental stress‐activated RTN3L‐dependent ER‐phagy. In conclusion, gestational environmental stress activates ER‐phagy by increasing placental Rtn3l mRNA N6‐methyladenosine modification, inhibiting placental estradiol synthesis, and contributing to fetal testicular dysplasia. The study demonstrates the early prevention and treatment of adult male infertility from the perspective of fetal‐derived diseases.https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202500924environmental stressER‐phagyfetal testis developmentm6Aplacental estradiol
spellingShingle Ye‐Xin Luo
Hua‐Long Zhu
Bin‐Bin Huang
Cheng‐Fang Sun
Xin‐Xin Zhang
Xin‐Run Wang
Yi‐Fan Hu
Xu‐Dong Zhang
Shen‐Dong Xu
Huan Zhou
Rui Pan
Wei Chang
Zhi Yuan
Yong‐Wei Xiong
Xiao‐Feng Xu
Ling‐Li Zhao
De‐Xiang Xu
Hua Wang
Placental RTN3L‐dependent ER‐Phagy Contributes to Fetal Testicular Dysplasia Upon Environmental Stress
Advanced Science
environmental stress
ER‐phagy
fetal testis development
m6A
placental estradiol
title Placental RTN3L‐dependent ER‐Phagy Contributes to Fetal Testicular Dysplasia Upon Environmental Stress
title_full Placental RTN3L‐dependent ER‐Phagy Contributes to Fetal Testicular Dysplasia Upon Environmental Stress
title_fullStr Placental RTN3L‐dependent ER‐Phagy Contributes to Fetal Testicular Dysplasia Upon Environmental Stress
title_full_unstemmed Placental RTN3L‐dependent ER‐Phagy Contributes to Fetal Testicular Dysplasia Upon Environmental Stress
title_short Placental RTN3L‐dependent ER‐Phagy Contributes to Fetal Testicular Dysplasia Upon Environmental Stress
title_sort placental rtn3l dependent er phagy contributes to fetal testicular dysplasia upon environmental stress
topic environmental stress
ER‐phagy
fetal testis development
m6A
placental estradiol
url https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202500924
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