Abstract：
FOXP2 was initially characterized as a transcription factor linked to speech and language disorders. Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals that Foxp2 is enriched in the gonadotrope cluster of the pituitary gland and colocalized with the hormones LHB and FSHB in chickens and mice, implying that FOXP2 might be associated with reproduction in vertebrates. Herein, we investigated the roles of foxp2 in reproduction in a Foxp2-deficient zebrafish model. The results indicated that the loss of Foxp2 inhibits courtship behavior in adult male zebrafish. Notably, Foxp2 deficiency disrupts gonad development, leading to retardation of follicle development and a decrease in oocytes in females at the full-growth stage, among other phenotypes. The transcriptome analysis (RNA-seq) also revealed that differentially expressed genes clustered into the estrogen signaling and ovarian steroidogenesis-related signaling pathways. In addition, we found that Foxp2 deficiency could modulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, especially the regulation of lhb and fshb expression, in zebrafish. In contrast, the injection of human chorionic gonadotropin, a specific LH agonist, partially rescues Foxp2-impaired reproduction in zebrafish, suggesting that Foxp2 plays an important role in the regulation of reproduction via the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis in zebrafish. Thus, our findings reveal a new role for Foxp2 in the regulation of reproduction in vertebrates.
摘要：
FOXP2最初被表征为与言语和语言障碍有关的转录因子。单细胞RNA测序（scRNA-seq）显示，Foxp2富集在垂体的促性腺激素簇中，并与激素LHB和FSHB共同定位在鸡和小鼠中，这意味着FOXP2可能与脊椎动物的繁殖有关。在这里，我们研究了Foxp2缺陷斑马鱼模型中foxp2在繁殖中的作用.结果表明，Foxp2的缺失抑制了成年雄性斑马鱼的求偶行为。值得注意的是,Foxp2缺乏破坏性腺发育，导致卵泡发育迟缓，女性在完全生长阶段卵母细胞减少，在其他表型中。转录组分析（RNA-seq）还显示，差异表达的基因聚集到雌激素信号和卵巢类固醇生成相关的信号通路中。此外,我们发现Foxp2缺乏可以调节下丘脑-垂体-性腺（HPG）轴，特别是lhb和fshb表达的调节，斑马鱼。相比之下,注射hCG，一种特定的LH激动剂，部分挽救了斑马鱼Foxp2受损的繁殖，提示Foxp2在斑马鱼通过HPG轴调节繁殖中起重要作用。因此，我们的发现揭示了Foxp2在脊椎动物生殖调控中的新作用.
