TLE3,a transcriptional co-repressor, is dispensable for spermatogenesis and male fertility in mice.

As a member of the Groucho/TLE family, Transducin-like enhancer of split 3 (TLE3) functions as a transcriptional co-repressor that is highly expressed in the testis. It recruits histone deacetylases (HDACs) and binds histones to mediate chromatin remodeling, thereby regulating gene expression. To investigate the physiological function of TLE3 in spermatogenesis, we generated germ cell-specific conditional knockout (cKO) mouse models using Stra8-Cre and Vasa-Cre drivers. However, Tle3 cKO male mice exhibited grossly normal development and fertility. Histological examination revealed intact testicular architecture and normal spermatogenic progression in the knockout mice. Moreover, immunofluorescence analyses of key germ cell marker proteins, including DDX4 (pan-germ cell), PLZF (undifferentiated spermatogonia), c-Kit (differentiating spermatogonia), γH2AX (meiosis recombination initiation) and PNA (acrosome in spermatids), showed normal germ cell distribution and differentiation. Furthermore, TUNEL assays for apoptosis detection revealed no significant difference between control and cKO mice. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that TLE3 is dispensable for male germ cell development and spermatogenesis.