Abstract: This study aimed to explore the mechanism of ADP-ribosyl transferase 3 (ART3) regulating spermatogenesis, and to provide a theoretical basis for improving semen quality and livestock reproductive performance. In this experiment, three kinds of concentrations of ART3 inhibitor 3-methoxybenzamide (3-MBA) (0.302, 0.906 and 1.510 mg·mL^-1) were injected into testis of mice in 3 groups aged 6-8 weeks respectively, the testis and epididymis tissues of each mouse were collected at 3 h, 6 h, 12 h, 1 d, 2 d, 3 d and 5 d after injection. The testis tissues were made into paraffin section for HE staining, and the dynamics and morphology of sperm in epididymis caudal were analyzed. The results showed that the area of vacuoles in the seminiferous tubules of mouse testis was maximized, the spermatogenic cells decreased, and arranged dispersedly and irregularly on 3 d after injection in the treatment of 0.302 mg·mL^-1 3-MBA; The area of vacuoles decreased, the spermatogenic cells tended to recover on 5 d after injection; While the area of vacuoles was maximized at 5 d after injection in the treatments of 0.906 and 1.510 mg·mL^-1 3-MBA, and the empty seminiferous tubules also appeared. In the 3 concentration groups, the density, motility and progressive of sperms in epididymis caudal was decreased in a time-dependent manner, and the sperms with abnormal morphology in epididymis caudal also gradually increased, and the abnormal morphology of sperm tails such as breakage, bending and curling appeared. In summary, ART3 may be involved in the regulation of spermatogenesis, such as proliferation, differentiation, migration of spermatogenic cells and formation of spermatogenic tail.

Key words: ART3, spermatogenesis, reproductive performance, 3-MBA