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Characterisation of mouse epididymosomes reveals a complex profile of microRNAs and a potential mechanism for modification of the sperm epigenome5.58 MB
Published VersionCC BY V4.0, Open Access
Journal article
Characterisation of mouse epididymosomes reveals a complex profile of microRNAs and a potential mechanism for modification of the sperm epigenome
Scientific Reports, Vol.6(1), pp.1-15
2016
PMCID: PMC4994100
PMID: 27549865
Abstract
Recent evidence has shown that the sperm epigenome is vulnerable to dynamic modifications arising from a variety of paternal environment exposures and that this legacy can serve as an important determinant of intergenerational inheritance. It has been postulated that such exchange is communicated to maturing spermatozoa via the transfer of small non-protein-coding RNAs (sRNAs) in a mechanism mediated by epididymosomes; small membrane bound vesicles released by the soma of the male reproductive tract (epididymis). Here we confirm that mouse epididymosomes encapsulate an impressive cargo of >350 microRNAs (miRNAs), a developmentally important sRNA class, the majority (similar to 60%) of which are also represented by the miRNA signature of spermatozoa. This includes >50 miRNAs that were found exclusively in epididymal sperm and epididymosomes, but not in the surrounding soma. We also documented substantial changes in the epididymosome miRNA cargo, including significant fold changes in almost half of the miRNAs along the length of the epididymis. Finally, we provide the first direct evidence for the transfer of several prominent miRNA species between mouse epididymosomes and spermatozoa to afford novel insight into a mechanism of intercellular communication by which the sRNA payload of sperm can be selectively modified during their post-testicular maturation.
Details
- Title
- Characterisation of mouse epididymosomes reveals a complex profile of microRNAs and a potential mechanism for modification of the sperm epigenome
- Authors
- Jackson N. Reilly (Author) - University of Newcastle AustraliaEileen A McLaughlin (Author) - University of Newcastle AustraliaSimone J Stanger (Author) - University of Newcastle AustraliaAmanda L Anderson (Author) - University of Newcastle AustraliaKate Hutcheon (Author) - University of Newcastle AustraliaKiralee Church (Author) - University of Newcastle AustraliaBettina P. Mihalas (Author) - University of Newcastle AustraliaSonika Tyagi (Author) - AGRF LtdJanet E. Holt (Author) - University of Newcastle AustraliaAndrew Eamens (Author) - University of Newcastle AustraliaBrett Nixon (Author) - University of Newcastle Australia
- Publication details
- Scientific Reports, Vol.6(1), pp.1-15
- Publisher
- Nature Publishing Group
- Date published
- 2016
- DOI
- 10.1038/srep31794
- ISSN
- 2045-2322
- PMID
- 27549865; PMC4994100
- Copyright note
- © The Author(s) 2016. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in the credit line; if the material is not included under the Creative Commons license, users will need to obtain permission from the license holder to reproduce the material. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
- Organisation Unit
- School of Health - Biomedicine; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Legacy
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99656591402621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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- Reproductive Biology
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