The Autoimmune Regulator Prevents Premature Reproductive Senescence in Female

Loss-of-function mutations in the autoimmune regulator (AIRE) gene are responsible for autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type 1 (APS-1), which commonly manifests as infertility in women. AIRE is a transcriptional regulator that promotes expression of tissue-restricted antigens in the thymus, including antigens specific to the ovary. Thymic expression of ovarian genes under AIRE’s control may be critical for preventing ovarian autoimmune disease. Because mice lacking Aire are an important APS-1 model, we examined the reproductive properties of female Aire-deficient (Aire/) mice. Female Aire/ mice on the BALB/c background were examined for reproductive parameters, including fertility, litter sizes, and ovarian follicular reserves. Although delayed puberty was observed in Aire/mice, all mice entered puberty and exhibite