Efeitos da idade e de deleções gênicas na qualidade espermática de camundongos

Abstract

The homeostasis of the male reproductive system is influenced by inflammatory and immunological mediators, so the deletion of specific genes can impact semen quality and spermatogenesis. In this context, the present study investigated the effects of genetic alterations and age on the reproductive function of knockout mice. For this purpose, males of the C57BL/6 (wild type), Galectin-3-/-, Interferon Gamma (IFN-γ-/-) and Toll-Like Receptor 3 (TLR-3-/-) strains were used at two different ages, 8 and 12 weeks. After euthanasia, body and reproductive organ weights were assessed, and sperm were collected for analysis of vitality, motility, and morphology. No significant differences in body or reproductive organ weights were observed between the groups. However, sperm analysis showed that TLR-3-/-, animals had a higher incidence of midpiece insertion defects. The GAL-3-/- group, on the other hand, had a higher incidence of tail defects. In contrast, the IFN-γ-/- lineage did not show detectable abnormalities in any of the sperm parameters analyzed. Based on the results found, it can be concluded that the absence of TLR-3 and Galectin-3 has a distinct and negative impact on sperm quality. On the other hand, the absence of changes in the IFN-γ-/- group suggests a modulatory role for this gene, where its absence may be associated with functional stability. These findings reinforce the selective influence of immune genes on reproduction and point to potential therapeutic applications in the treatment of reproductive problems, requiring further studies with this focus.