RHAU helicase affects testosterone synthesis by regulating the Star 3' UTR region

This study investigates the role and regulatory mechanism of RNA helicase and RNA-binding protein RHAU in testosterone synthesis. Using molecular biology techniques, such as circular dichroism spectroscopy, RNA-protein interaction assays, gene expression analysis, and ELISA functional assays, we explored the interaction between RHAU and the 3' untranslated region of Star mRNA, and its effect on mRNA stability and translation efficiency. The results show that conditional knockdown of RHAU leads to decreased testosterone levels in mouse blood, reduced translation of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (STAR), and significantly increased apoptosis of testicular interstitial cells. RHAU specifically binds to the G-quadruplex structure in the 3' untranslated region of Star mRNA, regulating STAR expression and affecting testosterone synthesis. This study is the first to reveal the critical role of RHAU in testosterone synthesis and post-transcriptional regulation. Moreover, RHAU emerges as a potential therapeutic target for diseases related to testosterone imbalance.