• PMID: 27350140
• Gene Name: GLIS3
• Condition: Regulator of postnatal spermatogenesis
• Association: Associated
• Sex: Male
• Infertility type: Male infertility
• Other associated phenotypes: Regulator of postnatal spermatogenesis

Transcription Factor GLIS3: A New and Critical Regulator of Postnatal Stages of Mouse Spermatogenesis

Kang HS, Chen LY, Lichti-Kaiser K, Liao G, Gerrish K, Bortner CD, Yao HH, Eddy EM, Jetten AM.

In this study, we identify a novel and essential role for the Krüppel-like zinc finger transcription factor GLI-similar 3 (GLIS3) in the regulation of postnatal spermatogenesis. We show that GLIS3 is expressed in gonocytes, spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) and spermatogonial progenitors (SPCs), but not in differentiated spermatogonia and later stages of spermatogenesis or in somatic cells. Spermatogenesis is greatly impaired in GLIS3 knockout mice. Loss of GLIS3 function causes a moderate reduction in the number of gonocytes, but greatly affects the generation of SSCs/SPCs, and as a consequence the development of spermatocytes. Gene expression profiling demonstrated that the expression of genes associated with undifferentiated spermatogonia was dramatically decreased in GLIS3-deficient mice and that the cytoplasmic-to-nuclear translocation of FOXO1, which marks the gonocyte-to-SSC transition and is necessary for SSC self-renewal, is inhibited. These observations suggest that GLIS3 promotes the gonocyte-to-SSC transition and is a critical regulator of the dynamics of early postnatal spermatogenesis. Stem Cells 2016;34:2772-2783. CI - © 2016 AlphaMed Press. FAU - Kang, Hong Soon AU - Kang HS AD - Immunity, Inflammation and Disease Laboratory, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA. FAU - Chen, Liang-Yu AU - Chen LY AD - Reproductive and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA. FAU - Lichti-Kaiser, Kristin AU - Lichti-Kaiser K AD - Immunity, Inflammation and Disease Laboratory, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA. FAU - Liao, Grace AU - Liao G AD - Immunity, Inflammation and Disease Laboratory, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA. FAU - Gerrish, Kevin AU - Gerrish K AD - Molecular Genomics Core, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA. FAU - Bortner, Carl D AU - Bortner CD AD - Division of Intramural Research, Flow Cytometry Center, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA. FAU - Yao, Humphrey H-C AU - Yao HH AD - Reproductive and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA. FAU - Eddy, Edward M AU - Eddy EM AD - Reproductive and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA.