The Mechanism of RNA-Dependent Intergenerational Inheritance and Factors Affecting Its Transition to Transgenerational Inheritance

Previous studies have shown that adult mice exposed to environmental enrichment (EE) conditions significantly increase hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) levels and cognitive function in their offspring. This effect is attributed to changes in the RNA composition of the father's sperm. However, this effect is only present in the F1 generation of EE-trained mice and disappears in the F2 generation, which has not been thoroughly investigated. This study focuses on the F2 generation of EE-trained mice, using RNA-seq, control experiments, and embryo injection techniques to verify the presence of latent genetic traits in the F2 generation and explore the cross-generational genetic effects of EE training on offspring synaptic plasticity and cognitive abilities, as well as their mechanisms. Additionally, this research is significant for understanding memory inheritance and treating neurodegenerative diseases.