Multiple transcriptome analyses reveal mouse testis developmental dynamics

Abstract

The testes are the organs of gamete production and testosterone synthesis. Up to date, no model system is available for mammalian testicular development, and only few studies have characterized the mouse testis transcriptome from no more than three postnatal ages. To describe the transcriptome landscape of the developing mouse testis and identify the potential molecular mechanisms underlying testis maturation, we examined multiple RNA-seq data of mouse testes from 3-week-old (puberty) to 11-week-old (adult). Sperm cells appeared as expected in 5-week-old mouse testis, suggesting the proper sample collection. The principal components analysis revealed the genes from 3w to 4w clustered away from other timepoints, indicating they may be the important nodes for testicular development. The pairwise comparisons at two adjacent timepoints identified 7,612 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), resulting in 58 unique mRNA expression patterns. Enrichment analysis identified functions in tissue morphogenesis (3-4w), regulation of peptidase activity (4-5w), spermatogenesis (7-8w), and antigen processing (10-11w), suggesting distinct functions in different developmental periods. 50 hub genes and 10 gene cluster modules were identified in the testis maturation process by protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis, and the miRNA-lncRNA-mRNA, miRNA-circRNA-mRNA and miRNA-circRNA-lncRNA-mRNA competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks were constructed. The results suggest that testis maturation is a complex developmental process modulated by various molecules, and that some potential RNA-RNA interactions may be involved in specific developmental stages. In summary, this study provides an update on the molecular basis of testis development, which may help to understand the molecular mechanisms of mouse testis development and provide guidance for mouse reproduction.