RhoGDIα regulates spermatogenesis through Rac1/cofilin/F-actin signaling

Abstract

Spermatogenesis is an extremely complex process, and any obstruction can cause male infertility. RhoGDIα has been identified as a risk of male sterility. In this study, we generate RhoGDIα knockout mice, and find that the males have severely low fertility. The testes from RhoGDIα^−/− mice are smaller than that in WT mice. The numbers of spermatogonia and spermatocytes are decreased in RhoGDIα^−/− testis. Spermatogenesis is compromised, and spermatocyte meiosis is arrested at zygotene stage in RhoGDIα^−/− mice. Acrosome dysplasia is also observed in sperms of the mutant mice. At the molecular level, RhoGDIα deficiency activate the LIMK/cofilin signaling pathway, inhibiting F-actin depolymerization, impairing testis and inducing low fertility in mouse. In addition, the treatment of RhoGDIα^−/− mice with Rac1 inhibitor NSC23766 alleviate testis injury and improve sperm quality by inhibiting the LIMK/cofilin/F-actin pathway during spermatogenesis. Together, these findings reveal a previously unrecognized RhoGDIα/Rac1/F-actin-dependent mechanism involved in spermatogenesis and male fertility.

RhoGDIα knockout mice show low male fertility and compromised spermatogenesis, with an underlying defect in F-actin cytoskeleton depolymerisation, which can be alleviated by inhibiting Rac1.