News | Study Reveals the Key Role of Paternal Sperm microRNA in Offspring Health
A study found that microRNAs (miRNAs) in the sperm of male mice change with age and may affect the growth and development of their offspring. The finding adds to evidence on the effects of paternal aging on offspring health.
The study was led by Professor Noriko Osumi of the Department of Developmental Neuroscience at Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine and published in Scientific Reports on December 7, 2023.
As social trends have changed, later marriage and parenthood have become common. The effects of maternal age on offspring, including higher risks of miscarriage and Down syndrome, are widely recognized, but paternal age has received less attention. This is changing: recent epidemiological studies suggest that advanced paternal age significantly increases the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder in offspring.
Osumi's team previously found that epigenetic factors such as histone modifications and DNA methylation during sperm formation in male mice change with age and may have transgenerational effects. However, the effects of paternal aging on microRNA had not been fully studied.
To address this gap, the team comprehensively analyzed age-related changes in mouse sperm microRNAs. They compared sperm from mice aged 3, 12, and 20 months and identified microRNAs whose abundance changed. Some regulate the nervous system and genes associated with autism spectrum disorder, and these altered microRNAs were also transferred to fertilized eggs.
“Our study reveals a potential association between paternal aging-related changes in sperm microRNAs and offspring health, highlighting the importance of studying how sperm microRNAs affect offspring—an area that has received relatively little attention,” Professor Osumi said.
The study is particularly relevant amid Japan's rapidly declining birth rate and offers a new perspective for reproductive medicine. The team hopes that further research into epigenetic factors, especially microRNAs, will help clarify the mechanisms of neurodevelopmental disorders and offer new insights into offspring health and disease prevention.
News | Study Reveals the Key Role of Paternal Sperm microRNA in Offspring Health
News | Study Reveals the Key Role of Paternal Sperm microRNA in Offspring Health
A study found that microRNAs (miRNAs) in the sperm of male mice change with age and may affect the growth and development of their offspring. The finding adds to evidence on the effects of paternal aging on offspring health.
The study was led by Professor Noriko Osumi of the Department of Developmental Neuroscience at Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine and published in Scientific Reports on December 7, 2023.
As social trends have changed, later marriage and parenthood have become common. The effects of maternal age on offspring, including higher risks of miscarriage and Down syndrome, are widely recognized, but paternal age has received less attention. This is changing: recent epidemiological studies suggest that advanced paternal age significantly increases the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder in offspring.
Osumi's team previously found that epigenetic factors such as histone modifications and DNA methylation during sperm formation in male mice change with age and may have transgenerational effects. However, the effects of paternal aging on microRNA had not been fully studied.
To address this gap, the team comprehensively analyzed age-related changes in mouse sperm microRNAs. They compared sperm from mice aged 3, 12, and 20 months and identified microRNAs whose abundance changed. Some regulate the nervous system and genes associated with autism spectrum disorder, and these altered microRNAs were also transferred to fertilized eggs.
“Our study reveals a potential association between paternal aging-related changes in sperm microRNAs and offspring health, highlighting the importance of studying how sperm microRNAs affect offspring—an area that has received relatively little attention,” Professor Osumi said.
The study is particularly relevant amid Japan's rapidly declining birth rate and offers a new perspective for reproductive medicine. The team hopes that further research into epigenetic factors, especially microRNAs, will help clarify the mechanisms of neurodevelopmental disorders and offer new insights into offspring health and disease prevention.
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