Biology subjects

Tang, X.

Publications and source records attributed to Tang, X..

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

Molecular Mechanisms Underlying the Regulation of VCAM-1 Expression by the Short-Chain Fatty Acid Butyrate

Over the past decade, cerebrovascular inflammation has been increasingly recognized as a contributor to the progression of neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimers disease (AD). One of the molecular hallmarks of cerebrovascular inflammation is the increased expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1 on blood-brain barrier (BBB) endothelial cells. Exposure to amyloid beta (A{beta}) peptides, one of the primary hallmarks of AD, and pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-) induces VCAM-1 expression on the BBB endothelium, which facilitates extravasation of leukocytes into the brain thereby promoting an inflammatory response. Therefore, it is crucial to explore therapeutic agents that can inhibit VCAM-1 expression induced by A{beta} and TNF-. Short-chain fatty acids, such as butyrate, produced by the gut microbiota as byproducts of dietary fiber metabolism, are recognized for their anti-inflammatory properties. In this study, we successfully tested the hypothesis that butyrate mitigates A{beta} and TNF--induced VCAM-1 expression in polarized human cerebral microvascular endothelial cell monolayers, a widely used BBB in vitro model. Our findings indicated that pre-treatment with butyrate significantly reduced A{beta}42 and TNF- mediated upregulation of VCAM-1. Furthermore, we have shown STAT3/GATA6 axis as a key mediator of anti-inflammatory effects of butyrate. These findings provide mechanistic insight into butyrates protective role and highlight its potential to mitigate A{beta} and TNF--induced cerebrovascular inflammation in AD.

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2025

Synchronized Latency Reversal and Immune Clearance by a Multifunctional Fusion Protein Enables HIV-1 Reservoir Reduction

Strategies that concurrently reactivate latent reservoirs and enhance immune-mediated clearance hold significant promise for achieving an HIV cure. Here, we developed hyperIL-15xsCD4-Fc (15xsCD4-Fc), a fusion protein that integrates latency reactivation, targeted immune engagement, and effector-mediated killing into a single molecule. This agent not only potently reverses HIV-1 latency in CD4+ T cells from people living with HIV-1 (PLWH) through coordinated IL-15 receptor signaling and sCD4-mediated HIV-1 envelope (Env) engagement, but also enhances antigen-specific CD8+ T cell response in PBMCs derived from PLWH. Furthermore, 15xsCD4-Fc enables Env-specific elimination of reactivated latently infected cells by NK cells while preventing off-target cytotoxicity. In PBMCs from PLWH, 15xsCD4-Fc reduced replication-competent HIV-1 DNA by 93.8%. In antiretroviral treated HIV-1-infected humanized mice, the molecule demonstrated both safety and efficacy in diminishing viral reservoir in lymphoid organs. This spatiotemporally coupled approach to reservoir exposure and immune recognition establishes a clinically viable strategy for clearing the HIV-1 reservoir. Graphical abstract O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=195 SRC="FIGDIR/small/693434v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (44K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@8f8f0org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@10f63f7org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@16c1de2org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@11e1787_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG

immunology↗

bioRxiv2025

NVUAtlas: A Comprehensive Single-Nucleus RNA-Seq Resource for the Human Neurovascular Unit in Alzheimer's Disease

BackgroundNeurovascular unit (NVU) dysfunction is being recognized as one of the earliest contributors to Alzheimers disease (AD) pathogenesis. However, systematic investigation of NVU dysfunction is currently limited by lack of access to molecular level information due to underrepresentation of vascular and mural cells in standard single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) datasets. Consequently, existing transcriptomic atlases lack the resolution necessary to capture the coordinated intercellular signaling and dysfunction across vascular components of NVU, including endothelial cells and pericytes. MethodsWe constructed the Human NVU Atlas by integrating 11 publicly available snRNA-seq datasets, including vascular-enriched samples, from the human prefrontal cortex. This comprehensive dataset aggregates over 4.2 million nuclei from 748 donors, including AD patients and age-matched controls. We utilized a unified probabilistic pipeline based on deep generative models (SCVI) to perform batch-aware integration and employed an ensemble of supervised and deep-learning classifiers to rigorously re-annotate cell types. Differential expression and ligand-receptor interaction analyses were subsequently performed to identify cell-type-specific disruptions in males versus females. ResultsThe atlas successfully curated vascular populations from 11 studies to assemble the largest publically available NVU cohort of endothelial cells (2.8%) and pericytes (1.9%) alongside astrocytes and neurons. Differential expression analysis revealed that while neurons predominantly exhibited gene downregulation in AD, vascular cells displayed a pattern of transcriptional hyperactivity with significant gene upregulation. We also identified pronounced sex-specific vulnerabilities; females exhibited distinct inflammatory signatures and downregulation of basement membrane collagen genes (e.g., COL4A1, COL4A2) in pericytes, whereas these changes were not observed in males. Moreover, cell-cell interaction analysis revealed a widespread loss of collagen-integrin signaling between pericytes and neurons, suggesting the involvement of extracellular matrix disruptions in NVU dysfunction observed in AD. ConclusionThe Human NVU Atlas provides a high-resolution, integrated transcriptomic framework for dissecting the cellular heterogeneity of the neurovascular unit. By uncovering sex-specific vascular mechanisms and disrupted intercellular communication, this resource highlights the critical role of vascular cells in AD progression and serves as a foundational reference for investigating cerebrovascular contribution to AD.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2025

Fus depleted oligodendrocytes reduce neuronal damage and attenuate AD progression in the AppNL-G-F mouse

AbstractOligodendrocytes (OL) and myelin abnormalities have emerged as important contributors to the pathogenesis of Alzheimers Disease (AD). OL maintain neuronal health through myelin axon interactions and by supplying neurotrophic and metabolic support. To gain insight on how OL and myelin may improve neuronal deficits associated with AD, we have generated a novel mouse model (AD/cKO) by crossing the AppNL-G-F mouse which carries three human AD mutations in the mouse App gene with the FusOLcKO, which has thicker myelin associated with greater cholesterol biosynthesis. The spatial working memory deficits manifested by the aged AD mouse were fully rescued by the FusOLcKO. This outcome was associated with reduced neuronal oxidative damage, preserved presynaptic structures at the plaque niches and a shift in microglia state at the niches in both hippocampus and cortex. In contrast, plaque burden and microglia density were decreased in the hippocampus but not in cortex, uncoupling the neuronal and microglia effects from the amyloid burden. Single cell transcriptomics of AD/cKO hippocampal OL revealed upregulation of energy metabolism and antioxidant genes, suggesting a role of OL enhanced energy metabolism in protecting neurons and affecting microglia state in AD pathology.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2025

Development of an efficient PEG-Mediated protoplast transformation system for the medicinal fungus Ophiocordyceps xuefengensis

Ophiocordyceps xuefengensis is a newly identified medicinal fungus with significant pharmacological and economic value, but its genetic manipulation has been impeded by the lack of an efficient transformation system. Here, we established the first stable and highly efficient polyethylene glycol (PEG)-mediated protoplast transformation platform for O. xuefengensis using hygromycin B as a selectable marker. Through systematic optimization of critical parameters such as enzyme composition, enzyme concentration, mycelial age, and digestion conditions, we developed an optimized protocol for protoplast preparation. A high protoplast yield of 9.42x107 CFU/mL was achieved using 4-day-old mycelia with 1.5% lywallzyme 1 and 1.5% snailase digested at 34{whitebullet}C with shaking at 130 rpm for 3.5 h. PY medium containing 0.6 M mannitol significantly enhanced protoplast regeneration. Stable plasmid integration and robust hygR gene expression were confirmed through PCR detection and sustained antibiotic resistance over four successive generations. Furthermore, a controllable expression system was established by using the endogenous promoter that drove the stable expression of the glycoside hydrolase gene cbhI. The result of enzymatic assay confirmed the functional production of CBHI enzyme, demonstrating the credibility of this system. This work provides a reliable genetic toolbox for functional genomics studies, targeted gene manipulation, and strain engineering in O. xuefengensis, facilitating fundamental research and sustainable utilization of this valuable medicinal species. IMPORTANCEThe conservation and sustainable utilization of medicinal fungi represents a critical challenge in biotechnology and natural product research. Ophiocordyceps xuefengensis, a newly identified species with significant pharmacological potential, exemplifies this challenge: its wild resources are diminishing while artificial cultivation remains restricted by limited understanding of its fundamental biology. The lack of genetic tools has impeded progress in elucidating its biosynthetic pathways, regulating fruiting body development, and enhancing metabolite production. We established a highly efficient PEG-mediated transformation system that directly addresses this technological gap. In addition, we demonstrated that this transformation system can support heterologous gene expression using endogenous promoters. This platform enables reliable genetic manipulation in O. xuefengensis, permitting functional genomics studies and targeted bioactive compounds synthesis.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2025

Excitatory neurons as the default fate in bifurcation of excitatory and inhibitory neuron lineages

In the brain, a precise excitation-inhibition balance underpins every neural operation. Strikingly, across the vertebrate CNS, excitatory and inhibitory neurons often emerge from common progenitors (termed EX-IN lineage), yet how such dichotomous fates diverge has remained enigmatic. Here, exploiting spinal v2a (excitatory)-v2b (inhibitory) and retinal bipolar (excitatory) - amacrine (inhibitory) lineages as EX-IN lineage paradigm, we report a single, conserved genetic program: excitatory neural fate is the default state when sibling-cell communication is silenced; progenitor- and excitatory neuron-expressed homeobox genes actively repress the inhibitory program, while Notch signaling releases this repression to unleash inhibitory identity. Thus, we define a unifying principle governing EX-IN lineage divergence that generate the fundamental dichotomy of neural circuits.

developmental biology↗

bioRxiv2025

Abnormally increased intrinsic neural timescales in sensory and default mode networks in cocaine use disorder

Cocaine use disorder (CUD) is associated with abnormal structural and functional brain changes. However, the neurodynamics and molecular underpinnings remain unclear. In this study, we mapped whole-brain intrinsic neural timescales (INTs), reflecting temporal neural processing, using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data from 44 CUD patients and 44 healthy controls (HC). CUD showed increased INTs in visual, somatomotor, and default mode networks compared with HC. Mediation analysis linked local INTs abnormalities to altered dorsal attention network neurodynamics, associated with inhibitory control deficits. Notably, these changes were primarily correlated with alterations in gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptors and the noradrenaline transporter. Machine learning classifiers based on INTs achieved a maximum accuracy of 75.5% in distinguishing CUD from HC, with a generalization accuracy of 65.0% on an independent dataset. This study elucidates aberrant neural mechanisms underlying CUD and highlights INTs as promising diagnostic biomarkers for clinical detection and intervention. TeaserSpatiotemporal neuroscience reveals intrinsic neural timescale disruptions underlying cocaine use disorder, offering novel diagnostic biomarkers.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2025

Inhibition of CGRP receptor ameliorates AD pathology by reprogramming lipid metabolism through HDAC11/LXRβ/ABCA1 signaling

The Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor has gained attention in Alzheimers Disease (AD) research due to its involvement in regulating neuroinflammation. However, its role and mechanism in AD pathology remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate that CALCRL, a core component of the CGRP receptor, is upregulated in the hippocampus of AD dementia patients and 5xFAD mice. Knockout of the CGRP receptor ligand Calca or pharmacological blockade using Rimegepant (Rim), reduces soluble A{beta}1-42 oligomer-induced neuronal death and glial inflammation. Rim treatment also rescues neurobehavioral impairments, neurodegeneration, and lipid metabolism dysfunction in 5xFAD mice. Mechanistically, these effects are mediated through HDAC11 inhibition, which enhances LXR{beta} acetylation and ABCA1 expression, promoting the reprogramming of neuronal lipid metabolism. Importantly, this CALCRL/HDAC11/LXR{beta}/ABCA1 axis is conserved across both humans and mice. Our findings uncover a novel mechanism underlying AD pathogenesis and highlight the therapeutic potential of targeting CGRP signaling in AD. HIGHLIGHTSInhibition of CGRP receptor ameliorates disease pathology in models of AD HDAC11 mediates CGRP receptor function in AD HDAC11 is a pivotal regulator in lipid metabolism by LXR{beta}/ABCA1 signaling The HDAC11/LXR{beta}/ABCA1 axis is conserved in AD humans and mice

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2025

RNA viruses in water shape the viromes of shrimp and fish in aquaculture systems

Aquatic environments host immense RNA viral diversity, yet the extent to which waterborne viruses influence the virome of aquatic animals remains unclear. Here, we conducted a comprehensive longitudinal metatranscriptomic analysis of water, shrimp, and fish across multiple culture stages in aquaculture systems. We identified 3,211 RNA viruses spanning 21 viral supergroups, with 97.4% representing novel species. Water exhibited the greatest viral diversity (3,093 species), followed by shrimp (1,280) and fish (398), with most viruses detected in shrimp and fish also detected in water. Diversity analyses revealed increasing richness and significant compositional shifts in 92 high-abundance viruses (>1,000 RPM) across culture stages. Viral abundance in aquatic animals was strongly correlated with that in water, and the temporal trajectories of the 16 most abundant viruses were closely synchronized between water and shrimp. Furthermore, 337 virus species were shared among shrimp and two fish species, of which 309 were present in water. These findings demonstrated that RNA viruses in water shape the composition and dynamics of aquatic animal viromes, underscoring the importance of water virome surveillance and management for disease prevention in shrimp aquaculture.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2025

Polyketide Synthase-Like Functionality Acquired by Plant Fatty Acid Elongase

Fatty acid elongation (FAE) typically proceeds through a four-step cycle of condensation, reduction, dehydration, and reduction to yield very long-chain fatty acids. Here, we describe a variation of this pathway in Orychophragmus limprichtianus, whose seed oil was found to contains previously unknown C24-C28 keto-hydroxy fatty acids that account for [~]25% of total fatty acids. Our studies revealed that these compounds are produced through an endoplasmic reticulum-localized discontinuous elongation process in which a 3-keto hydroxy intermediate bypasses full reduction and is extended through a polyketide synthase-like mechanism. Transcriptomic and functional assays identified two divergent enzymes, OlFAE1-2 and the low-activity ketoreductase OlKCR1-1, as central to this process. Protein modeling and mutant analysis suggest that specific amino acid substitutions underlie the altered activity of OlKCR1-1, enabling accumulation of keto intermediates. A portion of these unusual fatty acids accumulated in estolides, complex triacylglycerols that expand the chemical repertoire of seed oils. Together, our findings reveal unexpected flexibility in plant fatty acid elongation and provide new tools for engineering plants and microbes to produce renewable oils with tailored industrial functions.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2025

Machine learning-based definition of cellular senescence reveals pro-senescence potential implication in lung adenocarcinoma

Despite growing evidence implicating cellular senescence in tumor progression, methodological challenges in objectively quantifying senescent cell burden across cancer types continue to limit mechanistic studies and clinical translation. To address this, we developed the Predictive Cellular Senescence Model (PreCSenM), a machine learning-based tool that assigns a CS score by integrating senescence-associated features across 888 samples. Benchmarking analyses confirmed that PreCSenM markedly outperforms existing methodologies in reliably predicting senescent states within both normal and cancerous transcriptomic datasets. In lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), PreCSenM identified the CS score as a robust predictor of clinical outcomes. Multi-omics analyses further revealed that lower CS levels correlate with decreased genomic stability and enhanced immune responses, aligning with clinical observations. Notably, drug discovery using PreCSenM identified histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACis) as potent inducers of CS in LUAD. Transcriptional and epigenetic profiling of HDACi-treated cells pinpointed FOSB as a core transcription factor driving CS, and FOSB knockdown blocked HDACi-induced senescence. Overall, our study establishes PreCSenM as a multidimensional senescence quantification tool, bridging computational prediction with clinical relevance and mechanistic validation to enable senescence-directed therapies in precision oncology.

bioinformatics↗

bioRxiv2025

Dynamic Meta-Networking Identifies Distinct Network Correlates of Positive and Negative Formal Thought Disorder in Schizophrenia

Formal thought disorder (FTD) is a core symptom of schizophrenia, yet the neural network mechanisms underlying this phenotype remain poorly understood. In this study, we applied a dynamic meta-networking framework, which captures temporally recurring functional network states, to investigate alterations in the language and executive control networks and their associations with positive and negative FTD. Resting-state fMRI data were collected from three independent cohorts: a discovery cohort comprising 150 first-episode, drug-naive patients with schizophrenia and 175 healthy controls (HCs); a replication cohort including 183 first-episode, drug-naive patients and 109 HCs; and a third cohort consisting of 71 patients who had received two weeks of antipsychotic treatment and 71 HCs. Meta-networking analysis identified four distinct resting-state meta-states within both the language and executive control networks. Connectivity-behavior correlation analyses and machine-learning regression models revealed that positive FTD was associated with aberrant connectivity across specific meta-states in both networks. In contrast, negative FTD was linked exclusively to dysfunction within two meta-states of the executive control network. Notably, these polarity-specific, multi-state connectivity disruptions normalized following short-term antipsychotic treatment, highlighting their potential as clinically relevant neuroimaging biomarkers.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2025

Simultaneous Isolation and Characterization of Lipoprotein Classes in Plasma, Including HDL Subclasses and the Uncharacterized Dense HDL

Lipoproteins (LPP) and extracellular vesicles are carriers of extracellular small RNA, with potential applications both in the areas of diagnostics and therapeutics. Lipid nanoparticles overlap across a range of densities and sizes in plasma, making them difficult to isolate intact and without contamination from other plasma components. Accurate characterization of their cargo through efficient isolation from other plasma components is required to understand their function. Here we describe the simultaneous separation of LPP classes using sequential flotation ultracentrifugation followed by size exclusion chromatography from 500{micro}L of starting plasma. Using western blot, denaturing and non-denaturing gel electrophoresis, nuclear magnetic resonance, and electron microscopy, we demonstrate separation of the LPP classes with minimal contamination. We also show unique lipidomic, proteomic and small RNA signatures for each LPP class, including, for the first time, very high density high density lipoprotein particles in the density range of 1.21-1.25 g/mL. MotivationIn plasma, lipid nanoparticles overlap in size and density, making it difficult to separate and isolate intact particles. Additionally, currently available methods do not allow for simultaneous characterization and isolation of these particles. This method resolves both challenges. The results presented also analyze and describe the presence of known lipoprotein particles, as well as those that have been previously under-characterized.

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2025

BMP9 regulates the endothelial secretome to drive pulmonary hypertension

BMP9, a pleiotropic growth factor cytokine that regulates endothelial function, is implicated in the pathogenesis of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Loss-of-function mutations in GDF2 are found in heritable PAH, suggesting its function as an endothelial quiescence factor, while agonizing or antagonizing BMP9 signaling are both reported to ameliorate experimental pulmonary hypertension (PH). This study sought to resolve the contribution of BMP9 to pulmonary vascular disease and its status as a potential therapeutic target. The function of BMP9 in experimental PH was interrogated using recombinant BMP9, BMP9/BMP10 ligand trap ALK1-Fc, two anti-BMP9 neutralizing antibodies, and the activin/GDF/BMP ligand trap ACTRIIA-Fc (a.k.a., sotatercept). Disulfide-linked, prodomain complexed BMP9 was not protective in SUGEN-hypoxia or monocrotaline-induced PH models, in contrast to previous studies using incompletely disulfide-linked BMP9. In comparison, selective and non-selective BMP9 antagonism exerted prophylactic and therapeutic effects across PH models. Anti-BMP9 and ACTRIIA-Fc had comparable impact on hemodynamics, RV hypertrophy, and vascular remodeling, while single nucleus RNA-Seq revealed similar inhibition of SMAD1/5 and SMAD2/3 transcriptional activity, and highly overlapping DEGs, particularly in the endothelial compartment (r=0.83, p=2.54e-43, Spearman), suggesting overlap of mechanism in targeting BMP9. A multi-omic approach using lung tissues from human PAH, experimental models of pulmonary hypertension, and transcriptomic analysis of pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells from PAH patients revealed that BMP9 is critical for regulating several endothelial gene products that are overexpressed in human and experimental disease and implicated in disease pathogenesis including CXCL12, PDGF-BB, EDN1, COL18A1, and IGFBP4, and are inhibited by administering anti-BMP9 neutralizing antibodies or ligand traps. Co-culture studies revealed paracrine effects of BMP9-stimulated PMVEC on pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cell (PASMC) phenotypic plasticity, which could be attributed in large part to endothelial-derived CXCL12. In summary, endothelial BMP9 signaling is a key coordinator of vasoactive endothelial gene products that modulate PASMC phenotype and appears to be a shared target of anti-BMP9 and ACTRIIA-Fc. Selective targeting of endothelial BMP9 angiogenic signaling represents a potential therapeutic strategy for human PAH. One sentence summaryInhbiition of BMP9 signaling via different selective and non-selective strategies, including ACTRIIA-Fc/sotatercept, attenuates endothelial expression of vasoactive secreted factors that drive pulmonary vascular remodeling.

physiology↗

bioRxiv2025

Helicobacter pylori genome aggregation database reveals complex evolutionary forces shaping its genomic landscape and clinical impact in East Asia

We assembled HPgnomAD, a comprehensive global genome aggregation database of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) featuring 7,544 high-quality genomes from 278 populations, along with the first species-wide haplotype reference panel for genotype imputation. The panel provides high accuracy across diverse H. pylori populations, including those from low-coverage data, and is openly accessible with integrated analysis tools (https://www.hpgnomad.top/). Variant discovery revealed 1.82 million SNPs and 0.65 million InDels, with African strains exhibiting the most tremendous diversity and East Asian strains showing unexpectedly high novel variation. Fine-scale analysis of the hpEAsia lineage revealed six new sublineages shaped by altitude-, latitude-related divergence and region-specific admixture. Phylogenomic dating revealed two divergence waves in East Asia, paralleling Upper Paleolithic settlement and Neolithic human expansions, with highland-lowland separation at [~]18.8 kya, followed by the formation of complex geography-related population substructures. Genome-wide scans revealed adaptive loci related to metal acquisition, nitrogen metabolism, surface adhesion, and membrane transport, including altitude-associated highly differentiated variants linked to antibiotic resistance and gastric disease. By integrating genomic, evolutionary, environmental, and clinical data, HPgnomAD offers a framework for understanding H. pylori evolution, host-pathogen adaptation, and precision medicine worldwide.

evolutionary biology↗

bioRxiv2025

Nuclear polysaccharides maintain H3K9me3-heterochromatin and genomic stability

Polysaccharides are known to be synthesized by enzymes in the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus and transported through the secretory pathway to the cell surface or extracellular space1, where they mediate essential biological processes2-6. While classical localization and functions of polysaccharides are well established, their presence and potential roles in the nucleus remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate that N-glycans, a type of polysaccharides, are present in the cell nucleus and modify inner nuclear membrane (INM) proteins across diverse cell types--a modification referred to as N-linked glycosylation (N-glycosylation). N-glycosylation is enriched in chromatin regions marked by H3K9me3 and long interspersed nuclear element-1 (LINE-1) retrotransposons. N-glycosylation inhibition and INM protein N-glycosylation site mutation both downregulate H3K9me3 within lamina-associated domains (LADs) and lead to genomic instability. Mechanistically, N-glycosylation regulates the interaction between the histone H3K9 methyltransferase SETDB1 and INM proteins, promotes the association of SETDB1 with the INM, and maintains H3K9me3. Moreover, we reveal that canonical N-glycan biosynthetic machinery in ER contributes to the N-glycosylation of INM proteins. These findings uncover a previously unrecognized nuclear role for polysaccharides, broadening our understanding beyond their traditional subcellular distributions and functional profiles.

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2025

DNAH14 deficiency impairs sperm motility by reducing flagellar beat amplitude

Male infertility affects approximately 15-20% of couples worldwide, with asthenozoospermia accounting for 19% of cases. Nevertheless, the genetic basis of many asthenozoospermia cases remains poorly understood. In this study, we generated Dnah14 knockout mice, which displayed subfertility due to impaired sperm motility despite normal sperm morphology. Comprehensive kinematic analysis revealed that Dnah14-deficient spermatozoa exhibited reduced flagellar beat amplitude but increased beat frequency, while other dynein components remained unaffected. Notably, increasing sperm concentration during in vitro fertilization (IVF) experiments partially rescued the fertilization defects caused by Dnah14 deletion, suggesting a compensatory mechanism for this specific form of asthenozoospermia. Our results establish DNAH14 as a critical regulator of sperm motility and propose a potential therapeutic strategy for affected individuals.

developmental biology↗

bioRxiv2025

Single-Cell Profiling Reveals Altered Endometrial Cellular Features Across the Menstrual Cycle in Endometriosis Patients

Endometriosis is a chronic, estrogen-dependent condition affecting over 190 million women globally, characterized by the ectopic presence of endometrial-like tissue that leads to inflammation, pain, and infertility. Despite its prevalence, the pathogenesis of endometriosis remains poorly understood. Here, we present a comprehensive single-cell transcriptomic atlas comprising 228,000 cells derived from 43 eutopic endometrial biopsies from patients with endometriosis, fibroid controls and healthy controls, sampled across the menstrual cycle. This analysis reveals previously uncharacterized subpopulations of endometrial fibroblasts and epithelial cells undergoing epithelial-mesenchymal transition, alongside disrupted immune cell communication networks. Comparative gene expression profiling implicates oxidative stress, aberrant cell migration, and dysregulated apoptosis as central features of the disease state. These findings suggest that endometriosis alters eutopic endometrial homeostasis, with potential consequences for fertility, regeneration, and disease progression. Our dataset provides a valuable resource for biomarker discovery and identifies candidate therapeutic targets aimed at restoring endometrial function and alleviating symptoms in affected individuals.

bioinformatics↗