Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41802194›Full record

ArticleJournal of molecular cell biology2026

Integrated single-nucleus transcriptomic and chromatin accessibility analysis reveals key molecular basis of human testicular aging.

Weihao Sun, Hongyu Liu, Guanyu Ren, Pengcheng Pang, Zhuanghui Feng, Lei Wang, Shuguang Piao, Miaoxia He, Haoyu Shen, Jinsong Li and 4 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of molecular cell biology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Weihao SunDepartment of Urology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University (Naval Medical University), Shanghai 200433, China.
Hongyu LiuCAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China.
Guanyu RenDepartment of Urology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University (Naval Medical University), Shanghai 200433, China.
Pengcheng PangState Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Andrology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China.
Zhuanghui FengDepartment of Urology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University (Naval Medical University), Shanghai 200433, China.
Lei WangDepartment of Urology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University (Naval Medical University), Shanghai 200433, China.
Shuguang PiaoDepartment of Urology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University (Naval Medical University), Shanghai 200433, China.
Miaoxia HeDepartment of Pathology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China.
Haoyu ShenCAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China.
Jinsong LiState Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Andrology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China.ORCID 0000-0003-3456-662X
Xin LiCAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China.
Chenghua YangDepartment of Urology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University (Naval Medical University), Shanghai 200433, China.
Linhui WangDepartment of Urology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University (Naval Medical University), Shanghai 200433, China.
Zhiyong LiuDepartment of Urology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University (Naval Medical University), Shanghai 200433, China.

Funding

National Key Research and Development Program of China 2021YFA0805200National Key Research and Development Program of China 2024YFC2707000National Natural Science Foundation of China 32470637National Natural Science Foundation of China 82373011
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The human testis, a crucial organ in male reproduction, is mainly responsible for spermatogenesis and androgen production. As men age, testicular function declines, yet the underlying molecular mechanisms are still not well understood. To elucidate the mechanisms of human testicular aging, we performed an integrated analysis of single-nucleus transcriptomes and chromatin accessibility (snRNA-seq and snATAC-seq) on pathologically confirmed non-tumor testicular tissues from young and aged individuals. Our integrated multi-omic analysis reveals significant aging-induced alterations in the testis transcriptome, particularly affecting genes linked to spermatogenesis. Significant aging-related changes were also observed in Sertoli and Leydig cells, with Sertoli cells exhibiting increased sensitivity to environmental influences as age. Furthermore, the expression of Wntless (WLS), a Wnt transporter, was substantially upregulated in Sertoli cells of aged testes, which was correlated with cellular senescence and the disruption of tight junctions. Overexpression of WLS in Sertoli cells significantly accelerated senescence in vitro, implying a potential role for WLS in testicular aging. Our study provides a detailed multi-omic map of the transcriptomic and chromatin accessibility changes in the human testis during aging, offering insights into the cellular and molecular mechanisms behind these changes, and identifying potential therapeutic targets for interventions against aging-related declines in male reproductive health.

Indexed as

AgingCell NucleusChromatinTestisTranscriptomeAdultCellular SenescenceGene Expression ProfilingHumansLeydig CellsMaleMiddle AgedSertoli CellsSingle-Cell Gene Expression AnalysisSpermatogenesisYoung AdultChromatinagingsingle-nucleus ATAC sequencingsingle-nucleus transcriptomic sequencingtestesWLS

Identifiers

PMID41802194
PMCPMC13572877

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.