Tsga10, or testis-specific gene antigen 10, is a protein-coding gene. It is highly conserved among different species and is testis-specific. It has crucial impacts on cancer progression and spermatogenesis [1,2]. In cancer, it may be involved in signaling pathways related to carcinogenesis, and in spermatogenesis, it is associated with the arrangement of mitochondrial sheath in spermatozoa [1,2]. Genetic models like mouse models are valuable for studying its functions.

Tsga10 knockout (KO) mouse models generated by CRISPR/Cas9 technology showed that heterozygous Tsga10 male mice were infertile with significantly reduced sperm motility due to disordered mitochondrial sheath formation. This indicates that Tsga10 is essential for the correct arrangement of mitochondrial sheath in spermatozoa, thus being crucial for male fertility [2]. In addition, in cancer-related studies, overexpression of Tsga10 in HeLa cells disrupted the hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) axis, and in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), it decreased cell proliferation, migration, and in vitro angiogenesis, acting as a tumor suppressor gene. In breast cancer cells, Tsga10 overexpression decreased metastatic and metabolic activity by inhibiting HIF-1 [3,4].

In conclusion, Tsga10 plays essential roles in spermatogenesis, being vital for male fertility through its role in mitochondrial sheath arrangement in spermatozoa. In the context of cancer, it shows potential as a tumor suppressor by affecting cancer cell metabolism, angiogenesis, and metastasis. The use of KO mouse models has been instrumental in revealing these functions, providing insights into male infertility and cancer-related disease areas [1,2,3,4].