Scientists from China discovered increased production of the WLS protein in cells from elderly donors, and then proved that this increase accelerates signs of cellular aging in the laboratory.
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According to the Journal of Molecular Cell Biology, researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and China Maritime Medical University studied testicular tissue from four men, two of whom were young, aged 23 and 30, and the other two were older, aged 62 and 91. All four men had fathered children, and the researchers obtained the tissue samples during surgical procedures performed for medical reasons.
The team analyzed more than 10,000 cell nuclei, comparing gene activity and accessibility to chromatin regions, which allowed them to assess the active gene programs in the cells, along with their regulatory properties.
The results showed that with age, significant changes occur in Sertoli cells, which support sperm production, and Leydig cells, which produce testosterone. Researchers also observed changes in the signaling between these cells and surrounding cells.
Researchers paid particular attention to the WLS protein, which is involved in the Wnt signaling pathway. They observed increased production of this protein in Sertoli cells of older men, coinciding with the onset of aging and disruption of the tight connections between cells. When scientists artificially increased the production of this protein in Sertoli cell cultures, the rate of aging in these cells accelerated.
According to the researchers, these findings suggest that the WLS protein may contribute to this process, but they do not yet offer a definitive way to preserve male fertility. The researchers attribute this to the limited number of tissue samples and the fact that the experimental intervention was restricted to cells cultured in the laboratory.
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