MicroRNA-122 targets genes related to goose fatty liver

Metabolic Profiling Analysis of Liver in Landes Geese During the Formation of Fatty Liver via GC-TOF/MS

Fatty liver production results from the process of overfeeding geese, inducing a dramatic increase in de novo liver lipogenesis. To investigate the alteration of liver metabolites by overfeeding, especially lipid metabolites, and the potential pathways causing these changes, 60 Landes geese at 65 days old were raised in three groups with 20 geese per group, namely, the D0 group (free from gavage), D7 group (overfeeding for 7 days), and D25 group (overfeeding for 25 days). At 90 days old, segments of liver tissue were collected from 10 geese of each group for gas chromatography time-of-flight/mass spectrometry (GC-TOF/MS) analysis. A large number of endogenous molecules in the livers of geese were altered dramatically by overfeeding. In the livers of overfed geese, the level of oleic acid was observed to continuously increase, while the levels of phenylalanine, methyl phosphate, sulfuric acid, and 3-hydroxybenzaldehyde were decreased. The most significantly different metabolites were enriched in amino acid, lipid, and nucleotide metabolism pathways. The present study further supports the idea that Landes geese efficiently produce fatty liver, and potential biomarkers and disturbed metabolic pathways during the process of forming fatty liver were identified. In conclusion, this study might provide some insights into the underlying mechanisms of fatty liver formation.

Variant expression signatures of microRNAs and protein related to growth in a crossbreed between two strains of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) is a species of worldwide importance for aquaculture. A crossbred lineage was developed through introgressive backcross breeding techniques and combines the high growth performance of the Chitralada (CHIT) lwith attractive reddish color of the Red Stirling (REDS) strains. Since the crossbreed has an unknown genetically improved background, the objective of this work was to characterize expression signatures that portray the advantageous phenotype of the crossbreeds. We characterized the microRNA transcriptome by high throughput sequencing (RNA-seq) and the proteome through mass spectrometry (ESI-Q-TOF-MS) and applied bioinformatics for the comparative analysis of such molecular data on the three strains. Crossbreed expressed a distinct set of miRNAs and proteins compared to the parents. They comprised several microRNAs regulate traits of economic interest. Proteomic profiles revealed differences between parental and crossbreed in expression of proteins associated with glycolisis. Distinctive miRNA and protein signatures contribute to the phenotype of crossbreed.

The Role of PKM2 in Metabolic Reprogramming: Insights into the Regulatory Roles of Non-Coding RNAs

Pyruvate kinase is a key regulator in glycolysis through the conversion of phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) into pyruvate. Pyruvate kinase exists in various isoforms that can exhibit diverse biological functions and outcomes. The pyruvate kinase isoenzyme type M2 (PKM2) controls cell progression and survival through the regulation of key signaling pathways. In cancer cells, the dimer form of PKM2 predominates and plays an integral role in cancer metabolism. This predominance of the inactive dimeric form promotes the accumulation of phosphometabolites, allowing cancer cells to engage in high levels of synthetic processing to enhance their proliferative capacity. PKM2 has been recognized for its role in regulating gene expression and transcription factors critical for health and disease. This role enables PKM2 to exert profound regulatory effects that promote cancer cell metabolism, proliferation, and migration. In addition to its role in cancer, PKM2 regulates aspects essential to cellular homeostasis in non-cancer tissues and, in some cases, promotes tissue-specific pathways in health and diseases. In pursuit of understanding the diverse tissue-specific roles of PKM2, investigations targeting tissues such as the kidney, liver, adipose, and pancreas have been conducted. Findings from these studies enhance our understanding of PKM2 functions in various diseases beyond cancer. Therefore, there is substantial interest in PKM2 modulation as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of multiple conditions. Indeed, a vast plethora of research has focused on identifying therapeutic strategies for targeting PKM2. Recently, targeting PKM2 through its regulatory microRNAs, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs) has gathered increasing interest. Thus, the goal of this review is to highlight recent advancements in PKM2 research, with a focus on PKM2 regulatory microRNAs and lncRNAs and their subsequent physiological significance.

A Serum Metabolic Profiling Analysis During the Formation of Fatty Liver in Landes Geese via GC-TOF/MS

During the process of fatty liver production by overfeeding, the levels of endogenous metabolites in the serum of geese would change dramatically. This study investigated the effects of overfeeding on serum metabolism of Landes geese and the underlying mechanisms using a metabolomics approach. Sixty Landes geese of the same age were randomly divided into the following three groups with 20 replicates in each group: D0 group (free from gavage); D7 group (overfeeding for 7 days); D25 group (overfeeding for 25 days). At the end of the experiment, 10 geese of similar weight from each group were selected for slaughter and sampling. The results showed that overfeeding significantly increased the body weight and the liver weight of geese. Serum enzymatic activities and serum lipid levels were significantly enhanced following overfeeding. Gas chromatography time-of-flight/mass spectrometry (GC-TOF/MS) was employed to explore the serum metabolic patterns, and to identify potential contributors to the formation of fatty liver and the correlated metabolic pathways. Relative to overfeeding for 7 days, a large number of endogenous molecules in serum of geese overfed for 25 days were altered. Continuous elevated levels of pyruvic acid, alanine, proline and beta-glycerophosphoric acid and reduced lactic acid level were observed in the serum of overfed geese. Pathway exploration found that the most of significantly different metabolites were involved in amino acids, carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. The present study exhibited the efficient capability of Landes geese to produce fatty liver, identified potential biomarkers and disturbed metabolic pathways in liver steatosis. These findings might reveal the underlying mechanisms of fatty liver formation and provide some theoretical basis for the diagnosis and treatment of liver diseases.