Single-cell transcriptomics identifies senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) features of testicular aging in human

• Published in: Aging (Albany, NY.) Vol. 16; no. 4; pp. 3350 - 3362
• Main Authors: He, Junxian, Li, Jindong, Li, Yanqing, Xu, Zhenhan, Ma, Menghui, Chen, Haicheng, Chen, Peigen, Lv, Linyan, Shang, Xuejun, Liu, Guihua
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Impact Journals 12.02.2024
• Subjects: Research Paper; aging testis; single-cell transcriptome; spermatogenesis microenvironment; senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP)
• ISSN: 1945-4589; 1945-4589
• DOI: 10.18632/aging.205538

The male reproductive system experiences degradation with age, predominantly impacting the testes. Testicular aging can result in failure to produce physiological testosterone levels, normal sperm concentrations, or both. However, we cannot predict the onset of testicular aging in advance. Using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, we conducted cell-cell communication network of human testis between older and young group, indicating Leydig cells' potential role in spermatogenesis microenvironment of aging testis. And we depicted the senescence-Associated Secretory Phenotype (SASP) features of aging testis by identifying differentially expressed senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP)-related genes between two group. Notably, mainly expressed in Leydig cells of those differentially expressed SASP-related genes in aging testis. Furthermore, protein located in the interstitial compartment of older mice confirmed by immunofluorescence and highly expressed in both human seminal plasma and mouse testis in the older group confirmed through Western blot. Together, our findings suggest that may be a new biomarker of testicular aging.