Uchl1 maintains energy and metabolic homeostatic balance during spermatogenesis

In mammals, spermatogenesis plays a critical role in upholding the genetic stability of the male germline; however, disruptions such as viral and bacterial infections, toxic damage, genetic mutations, or deletions can disturb the delicate equilibrium of the testicular microenvironment, ultimately resulting in impaired spermatogenesis and male infertility. One key protein involved in this process is UCHL1, which possesses deubiquitinating enzyme, multiple ligases, and hydrolase activities. In addition to its roles in maintaining neuronal activity and memory function in the brain, UCHL1 is also implicated in spermatogenesis. Nevertheless, the precise mechanism by which it sustains metabolic homeostasis during spermatogenesis remains unclear. To investigate this, we generated Uchl1_KO mice and subjected their testes to snRNA-seq and metabolomics sequencing. Our analysis revealed that Uchl1_KO mice exhibited abnormal spermatogenesis, decreased testicular OXHPOS levels, and disrupted ADIPONECTIN signaling, concomitant with heightened inflammatory signaling and disturbances in lipid metabolism and energy homeostasis in the testes. These findings suggest that Uchl1 plays a crucial role in spermatogenesis by modulating energy and metabolic pathways within the testes to maintain orderly spermatogenesis. This study contributes to the understanding of the energy and metabolic balance required for successful male spermatogenesis. The precise mechanism by which it sustains metabolic homeostasis during spermatogenesis remains unclear. To investigate this, we generated Uchl1_KO mice and subjected their testes to snRNA-seq and metabolomics sequencing.