1)扬州大学医学部组织学与胚胎学教研室,扬州 225009;2)扬州大学江苏省核酸与细胞命运调控高校重点实验室,扬州 225009;3)扬州大学医学部护理学院,扬州 225009
国家自然科学基金(82371614,82071696)和江苏省研究生科研与实践创新计划(KYCX24-3851)资助项目。
1)Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China;2)Key Laboratory of Nucleic Acids and Cell Fate Regulation of Jiangsu Province, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China;3)School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
This work was supported by grants from The National Natural Science Foundation of China (82371614,82071696) and Research and Practice Innovation Plan for Graduate Students in Jiangsu Province (KYCX24-3851).
精子发生是雄性生殖系统中高度有序且时空特异的发育过程,精原干细胞在睾丸微环境的支持下依次经历有丝分裂、减数分裂及精子形成,最终形成结构完整的精子。该过程中RNA命运的精确调节对于维持精子发生过程的连续性和稳定性至关重要,其紊乱也是造成男性不育的重要分子基础之一。N6-甲基腺苷(N6-methyladenosine,m6A)修饰作为真核生物最丰富的RNA修饰形式,通过“写入酶(writers)-擦除酶(erasers)-读写酶(readers)”系统,在RNA剪接、稳定性、翻译及降解等多个层面动态调控转录本命运,不仅在精原干细胞/精原细胞自我更新与分化、减数分裂启动与进展以及精子形态构建等关键阶段发挥重要作用,还通过对间质细胞与支持细胞的调控为生殖细胞发育提供激素、代谢与结构支持。不同类型的m6A调控因子在时间与功能上呈现出一定的阶段特异与分工协同,共同构建多层级RNA调控网络,同时部分传统定义的m6A相关蛋白还可通过RNA结合、解旋酶活性或复合体组装等非经典机制参与转录后调控。相关因子功能异常可导致生精阻滞、精子质量下降甚至雄性不育。本文将系统综述m6A调控网络在精子发生中的分子机制及阶段特异性功能,为雄性不育的发病机制与临床诊疗策略提供理论依据。
Spermatogenesis is a highly ordered and spatiotemporally regulated developmental process in the male reproductive system, during which spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs), supported by the seminiferous tubule microenvironment, sequentially undergo mitosis, meiosis, and spermiogenesis to ultimately generate structurally intact spermatozoa. This complex process is accompanied by extensive transcriptional reprogramming, chromatin remodeling, and finely tuned post-transcriptional regulation. Precise control of RNA fate is therefore essential for maintaining the continuity and fidelity of spermatogenesis, and its disruption represents a major molecular basis of male infertility. N6-methyladenosine (m6A), the most abundant internal RNA modification in eukaryotes, has emerged as a critical regulator of post-transcriptional gene expression. m6A methyltransferases (“writers”) catalyze the addition of a methyl group to the N6 position of adenosine, m6A demethylases (“erasers”) remove the modification, and m6A-binding proteins (“readers”) recognize m6A-modified transcripts. Through the coordinated actions of these factors, m6A regulates transcript fate at multiple levels, including RNA splicing, nuclear export, stability, translation, and decay. Emerging evidence indicates that m6A-mediated regulation is essential across multiple stages of spermatogenesis, including SSC self-renewal and differentiation, meiotic progression, maintenance of chromosomal stability, and sperm morphogenesis. Beyond its intrinsic functions in germ cells, m6A also contributes to the regulation of the testicular microenvironment. In sertoli cells, m6A is involved in maintaining blood-testis barrier integrity, RNA processing, and paracrine signaling, thereby providing structural and metabolic support for germ cell development. In Leydig cells, m6A regulates steroidogenesis, particularly testosterone synthesis, and participates in cellular stress responses and metabolic homeostasis. Through these mechanisms, m6A indirectly influences spermatogenesis by modulating the functional state of testicular somatic cells, highlighting an integrated regulatory mode that combines cell-intrinsic and microenvironment-mediated effects. Notably, distinct classes of m6A regulators exhibit pronounced stage-specific functions and coordinated division of labor, collectively forming a multilayered and dynamic regulatory network. Writers often display dosage- and temporal window-dependent effects; erasers contribute to stage-specific demethylation and functional compensation; while readers function through a “switch-buffer” dual-layer architecture, and RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) participate in substrate selection and post-transcriptional regulation. Importantly, emerging evidence suggests that some m6A-related proteins can function through noncanonical mechanisms independent of m6A recognition, such as intrinsic RNA-binding activity, helicase function, or ribonucleoprotein complex assembly, thereby expanding the functional landscape of the m6A regulatory system. Dysregulation of m6A machinery can lead to multiple spermatogenic defects, including impaired SSC self-renewal, meiotic arrest, abnormal chromatin remodeling, and defective sperm formation, ultimately resulting in male infertility. Despite substantial advances, several critical questions remain unresolved, including the distinction between m6A-dependent and -independent mechanisms, the spatiotemporal dynamics of m6A modifications at single-cell resolution, and the coordination and antagonism among different regulatory factors. In this review, we systematically summarize the dual regulation of spermatogenesis by germ cell-intrinsic mechanisms and the testicular microenvironment, and delineate the molecular mechanisms and stage-specific functions of the dynamic m6A regulatory network. We further discuss the current limitations in the field and propose feasible experimental strategies for future investigation. Collectively, this work aims to provide a comprehensive framework for understanding the epitranscriptomic regulation of spermatogenesis and to offer theoretical insights into the pathogenesis and clinical management of male infertility.
孟诗奇,陆雯婷,程絮,杨凡,牛长敏,郑英. N⁶-甲基腺苷修饰在精子发生中的作用及分子机制[J].生物化学与生物物理进展,2026,53(5):1297-1312 MENG Shi-Qi, LU Wen-Ting, CHENG Xu, YANG Fan, NIU Chang-Min, ZHEGN Ying. The Role and Molecular Mechanism of N⁶-methyladenosine Modification in Spermatogenesis[J]. Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics,2026,53(5):1297-1312
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