AI Article Synopsis
- Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) like DHA and DPA play important roles in male fertility by maintaining sperm quality.
- The enzyme acyl-conenzyme A synthetase 6 (ACSL6) is crucial for converting LCPUFAs into the forms necessary for proper sperm function and production.
- Mice lacking ACSL6 exhibit infertility due to fewer and less functional sperm, indicating that ACSL6 is essential for normal sperm development by ensuring the accumulation of DHA and DPA in sperm cell membranes.
Article Abstract
Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs), such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6) and docosapentaenoic acid (DPA, 22:5), have versatile physiologic functions. Studies have suggested that DHA and DPA are beneficial for maintaining sperm quality. However, their mechanisms of action are still unclear because of the poor understanding of DHA/DPA metabolism in the testis. DHA and DPA are mainly stored as LCPUFA-containing phospholipids and support normal spermatogenesis. Long-chain acyl-conenzyme A (CoA) synthetase (ACSL) 6 is an enzyme that preferentially converts LCPUFA into LCPUFA-CoA. Here, we report that ACSL6 knockout (KO) mice display severe male infertility due to attenuated sperm numbers and function. ACSL6 is highly expressed in differentiating spermatids, and ACSL6 KO mice have reduced LCPUFA-containing phospholipids in their spermatids. Delayed sperm release and apoptosis of differentiated spermatids were observed in these mice. The results of this study indicate that ACSL6 contributes to the local accumulation of DHA- and DPA-containing phospholipids in spermatids to support normal spermatogenesis.-Shishikura, K., Kuroha, S., Matsueda, S., Iseki, H., Matsui, T., Inoue, A., Arita, M. Acyl-CoA synthetase 6 regulates long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid composition of membrane phospholipids in spermatids and supports normal spermatogenic processes in mice.
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| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6894091 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1096/fj.201901074R | DOI Listing |
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