miR-1285-3p targets TPI1 to regulate the glycolysis metabolism signaling pathway of Tibetan sheep Sertoli cells

<p><span>Glycolysis in sertoli cells (SCs) can provide energy substrates for the development of spermatogenic cells. Triose phosphate isomerase 1 (TPI1) is one of the key catalytic enzymes involved in glycolysis. However, the biological function of TPI1 in SCs and its role in glycolytic metabolic pathways are poorly understood. On the basis of previous research, we isolated primary SCs from Tibetan sheep and overexpressed <em>TPI1</em> gene to determine its effect on the proliferation, glycolysis, and apoptosis of SCs. Secondly, we investigated the relationship between <em>TPI1</em> and miR-1285-3p, and whether miR-1285-3p regulates the proliferation and apoptosis of SCs, and participates in glycolysis by targeting <em>TPI1</em>. Results showed that overexpression of <em>TPI1</em> increased the proliferation rate and decreased apoptosis of SCs. In addition, overexpression of <em>TPI1</em> altered glycolysis and metabolism signaling pathways and significantly increased the amount of the final product lactic acid. Further analysis showed that miR-1285-3p inhibited <em>TPI1</em> by directly targeting its 3'untranslated region. Overexpression of miR-1285-3p suppressed the proliferation of SCs, and this effect was partially reversed by restoration of <em>TPI1</em> expression. In summary, this study shows that the miR-1285-3p/TPI1 axis regulates glycolysis in SCs. These findings add to our understanding of the regulation of spermatogenesis in sheep and other mammals.</span></p>