DICER1 regulates antibacterial function of epididymis by modulating transcription of p-defensins  

作　　者：Chunhua Tang Minjie Ni Shengsong Xie Yao Zhang Chaobao Zhang Zimei Ni Chen Chu Ligang Wu Yuchuan Zhou Yonglian Zhang 

机构地区：[1]State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Andrology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China

出　　处：《Journal of Molecular Cell Biology》2019年第5期408-420,共13页分子细胞生物学报（英文版）

基　　金：the National Basic Research Program of China(973 Program;2014CB943103);the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31471104,31671203,and 31571192).

摘　　要：DICER1 is a key enzyme responsible for the maturation of microRNAs. Recent evidences suggested that DICER1 and microRNAs expressed in epididymis were involved in the control of male fertility. However, the exact mechanism remains to be elucidated. Here, we created a mouse line by targeted disruption of Dicerl gene in the principal cells of distal caput epididymis. Our data indicated that a set of β-defensin genes were downregulated by DICER1 rather than by microRNAs. Moreover, DICER1 was significantly enriched in the promoter of β-defensin gene and controlled transcription. Besides, the antibacterial ability of the adult epididymis significantly declined upon Dicerl deletion both in vitro and in vivo. And a higher incidence of reproductive defect was observed in middle-aged Dicerl^-|- males. These results suggest that DICER1 plays an important role in transcription of β-defensin genes, which are associated with the natural antibacterial properties in a microRNA-independent manner, and further impacts the male fertility.

关 键 词：EPIDIDYMIS ANTIBACTERIAL PROPERTY DICER1 Β-DEFENSIN 

分 类 号：Q[生物学]