Study record
Analysis by Metabolomics and Transcriptomics for the Energy Metabolism Disorder and the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Activation in Male Reproduction of Mice and GC-2spd Cells Exposed to PM2.5
Shi F, Zhang Z, Wang J et al. · Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) · 2021
AnimalEndogenous MOTS-c measuredEvidence tier CAlso: Cell study (in vitro)
What this study reported
Reported that fine particulate matter exposure reduced sperm motility in mice and cell proliferation in spermatocyte-derived cells, with mitochondrial damage, higher humanin and MOTS-c levels and lower mitochondrial respiration. MOTS-c was measured as one marker of disturbed mitochondrial function rather than as the study's focus.
Limitations
Male mice of a single strain and one cell line, MOTS-c measured only as a secondary marker without mechanistic follow-up, and exposure conditions specific to one geographic setting.
Study record
| Study model | Animal study (in vivo) |
|---|---|
| Substance studied | Endogenous MOTS-c measuredNaturally occurring MOTS-c was measured; nothing was given. |
| Species | mouse |
| System studied | Male C57BL/6 mice exposed to filtered, unfiltered or concentrated ambient fine particulate matter, and GC-2spd spermatocyte-derived cells |
| Population | Not reported |
| Design | Controlled animal exposure experiment with cell culture experiments |
| Sample size as reported | 45 male C57BL/6 mice across three exposure groups |
| Control group | filtered-air exposed mice and untreated cells |
| Route (data field only) | Not reported |
| Endpoints measured | sperm motility; cell proliferation; MOTS-c and humanin levels; mitochondrial respiration; AhR pathway activation; reactive oxygen species |
| Pathways measured | Oxidative stress · NRF2 / antioxidant response |
| Research areas | Reproductive · Mitochondrial biology |
| Evidence tier | C — Animal in vivo |
| Publication types | Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't |
Appraisal
Each dimension is recorded separately and never combined into a single score. A study can be well controlled and still tell you little about people.
- Relevance to MOTS-c
- Peripheral
- Model applicability
- Mammalian
- Sample size
- Small
- Controls
- Appropriate
- Outcome validity
- Surrogate
- Support for its own conclusion
- Moderate
Provenance
- Bibliographic fields retrieved from PubMed E-utilities efetch (title, journal, date, authors, DOI) on 2026-11-11.
- Annotated from the published abstract.
- Editorial review: approved (2026-11-11).
- Classification follows the site methodology; the record describes the study, not what MOTS-c does in people.