H3K9甲基化与乙酰化修饰在小鼠睾丸发育过程中的动态表达模式
Dynamic expression patterns of H3K9 methylation and acetylation modifications during mouse testicular development
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摘要: 针对组蛋白H3第9位赖氨酸(H3K9)甲基化修饰在小鼠睾丸组织中的时空动态特征尚不明确这一问题,采用Western blot和石蜡切片免疫荧光技术,系统解析了H3K9me1、H3K9me2、H3K9me3和H3K9ac在小鼠生精细胞不同发育阶段的表达规律。结果显示:H3K9me1与H3K9me3呈现相似分布模式,在细线期、偶线期精母细胞和长形精子中高表达,而在精原细胞、粗线期、双线期精母细胞和圆形精子细胞中显著降低,成熟精子中未检测到表达;H3K9me2在所有生精细胞类型中均存在表达,但早期长形精子与减数分裂前期细胞中表达水平显著高于其他阶段;H3K9ac则在细线期、粗线期精母细胞和长形精子头部呈现特异性富集。值得注意的是,H3K9me3在减数分裂启动期的阶段性沉默,而H3K9ac在染色质重塑期的特异性激活,H3K9不同修饰形式在精子发生关键阶段的动态差异提示其可能通过差异化的表观调控机制参与生殖细胞分化。首次绘制了H3K9修饰在小鼠生精上皮周期中的全景表达图谱。Abstract: To address the ambiguous spatiotemporal dynamics of histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9) methylation modifications in murine testicular tissue, the expression patterns of H3K9me1, H3K9me2, H3K9me3 and H3K9ac across various developmental stages of mouse germ cells were systematically analyzed by Western blot and paraffin section immunofluorescence techniques. The findings indicated that H3K9me1 and H3K9me3 shared similar distribution patterns, characterized by elevated expression in leptotene, zygotene spermatocytes and elongated spermatids, with a marked reduction in spermatogonia, pachytene, diplotene cells and round spermatids. Notably, no expression was observed in mature spermatozoa. In contrast, H3K9me2 was expressed across all spermatogenic cell types, with significantly higher levels in early elongated spermatids and pre-meiotic cells compared to other stages. H3K9ac demonstrated specific enrichment in leptotene, pachytene spermatocytes and the heads of elongated spermatids. Importantly, H3K9me3 was silenced during the initiation of meiosis, whereas H3K9ac was specifically activated during chromatin remodeling. The observed dynamic variations in H3K9 modification formed during critical stages of spermatogenesis implied a potential role in germ cell differentiation via distinct epigenetic regulatory mechanisms. The first time, a comprehensive expression profile of H3K9 modifications was offered throughout the mouse spermatogenic epithelial cycle.
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