Androgen blockage impairs proliferation and function of Sertoli cells via Wee1 and Lfng

Abstract

Background Androgens are essential hormones for testicular development and the maintenance of male fertility. Environmental factors, stress, aging, and psychological conditions can disrupt androgen production, impacting the androgen signaling pathway and consequently spermatogenesis. Within the testes, testosterone is produced by Leydig cells and acts on Sertoli cells by activating the androgen receptor (AR), which then translocates to the nucleus to function as a transcription factor. Despite clinical correlations between low testosterone levels and diminished sperm quality, the precise mechanism remains unclear. Methods This study explores the hypothesis that reduced androgen levels impair Sertoli cell function by disrupting AR transcriptional regulation. Using an androgen blockade model with enzalutamide, we investigated the impact of low androgen levels on AR target genes in Sertoli cells through ChIP-seq and RNA-seq assays. Results Our results reveal that androgen blockage increases AR enrichment on the promoter region of Wee1 , promoting Wee1 expression, while decreasing binding to the promoter region of Lfng , inhibiting its expression. Increased WEE1 protein inhibits Sertoli cell proliferation, whereas reduced LFNG affects Notch modification, leading to decreased production of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), a key growth factor for spermatogonial stem cell self-renewal. Conclusions These findings provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms by which low androgen levels interfere with Sertoli cell functions, offering novel perspectives for the clinical treatment of male reproductive disorders. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12964-024-01875-5.