Down-regulation of miR-138-5p by PP2A promoted apoptosis of spermatocytes

Abstract Background Protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) plays a critical and multifaceted role in numerous physiological processes. Previously, we generated germ cell specific knockout mice for the PP2A catalytic subunit alpha subunit (Ppp2cacKO) by the cre-loxp system. Methods and results Through high-throughput miRNA sequencing of testis tissues and real‑time PCR, we identified a significant decrease in the expression of miR-138-5p in the testes of Ppp2cacKO mice. Here, we report that miR-138-5p affects the apoptosis and proliferation of GC2 cells. Importantly, multiple database predictions suggest that miR-138- 5p may target the transcriptional repressor Trps1. Consistent with this finding, we observed a significant overexpression of Trps1 in the testes of Ppp2cacKO mice. In addition, by transfection experiments, we confirmed that miR-138-5p negatively regulated Trps1 expression in GC2 cells. Conclusion In study, our findings suggest that miR-138-5p may promote spermatocyte apoptosis by targeting Trps1 after PP2A enzyme dysfunction.