Increasing paternal age has been linked to elevated health risks for the next generation, including higher risks of obesity and stillbirth. But what drives this increased risk remains unknown.
Most research into this link focuses on how the DNA inside sperm changes with age. But sperm carry other molecules as well, including a diverse array of molecules called RNAs. Now, new research from University of Utah Health has shown that the RNA contents of sperm go through similar shifts over time in both mice and humans, which may lead to a rapid, dramatic shift at mid-life. What’s more, “old RNA” seems to change cells’ metabolism-potentially contributing to the health risks of having kids later in life.
It’s like finding a molecular clock that ticks with age in both mice and humans, suggesting a…