Sperm tsRNA vs. anxiety-like behavior in offspring

we reported that advanced paternal age in mice altered transfer RNA derived small RNAs profile. Zygotes injection of sperm tsRNA from aged male mice induced anxiety like behaviors in F1 male mice. RNA seq analysis of the cerebral cortex and hippocampus of F1 male mice showed that the differentially expressed genes were related to the dopaminergic synapse and neurotrophin signaling pathway. RNA Seq of two cell embryos and blastocysts also revealed significant DEGs were related to neuropsychiatry related signaling pathways. Moreover, sperm tsRNA profile differed significantly in a group of men vs young men. An analysis of significant gene ontology enriched terms showed that the 34 up regulated sperm tsRNA target genes were involved in the biological processes of neurogenesis,nervous system development and generation of neurons. These results suggest that sperm tsRNA is a potential vector in the inheritance of behevioral traits across generations.