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Liu S, Chen J, Liu M, Zhang C, Chao X, Yang H, Wang T, Bi H, Ding Y, Wang Z, Muhammad A, Muhammad M, Zhou B. miR-107 suppresses porcine granulosa cell proliferation and estradiol synthesis while promoting apoptosis via targeting PTGS2. Theriogenology 2025; 238:117367. [PMID: 40024100 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2024] [Revised: 02/06/2025] [Accepted: 02/25/2025] [Indexed: 03/04/2025]
Abstract
The proliferation, steroid metabolism, and apoptosis of porcine ovarian granulosa cells (GCs) are critical for follicular development. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small endogenous RNAs that regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally and modulate signaling networks involved in various cellular processes. In this study, we identify miR-107, a conserved miRNA, as a key regulator of porcine follicle development through its effects on GCs proliferation, steroid metabolism, and apoptosis. Our findings demonstrate that miR-107 suppresses GCs proliferation and estradiol synthesis while promoting apoptosis. Mechanistically, miR-107 exerts its regulatory effects by targeting Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthase 2 (PTGS2), binding to the 3' untranslated region (3'-UTR) of its mRNA. Overexpression of PTGS2 positively regulates porcine GCs function, significantly enhancing cell proliferation and steroid synthesis, reducing apoptosis, and increasing the protein levels of HSD3B1 and CYP19A1, which are key members of the ovarian steroidogenesis signaling pathway. These findings highlight the role of miR-107 in regulating porcine follicular development and underscore its potential as a molecular marker for influencing follicle growth and reproductive efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuhan Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
| | - Jiahao Chen
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
| | - Mingzheng Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China; The Academy for Cell and Life Health, Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China.
| | - Chunlei Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
| | - Xiaohuan Chao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
| | - Huan Yang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
| | - Tianshuo Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
| | - Hongwei Bi
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
| | - Yuan Ding
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
| | - Ziming Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
| | - Asim Muhammad
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
| | - Mubashir Muhammad
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
| | - Bo Zhou
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
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Shi H, Yan Z, Du H, Zhang B, Gun S. CircRNA profiling reveals the regulatory role of circPAN3 in Hezuo boars Sertoli cell growth. BMC Genomics 2024; 25:1258. [PMID: 39736570 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-024-11170-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2024] [Accepted: 12/19/2024] [Indexed: 01/01/2025] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Hezuo (HZ) pig, a famous indigenous breed in China, is characterized by precocious puberty compared with foreign-introduced pig breeds. Sexual maturation is a complex physiological process, and in recent years, circular RNAs (circRNAs), a new class of noncoding RNAs with endogenous regulatory functions, have been shown to play important roles in regulating sexual maturation. However, the dynamic expression and regulatory mechanism of circRNAs during sexual maturation in HZ pigs remain unclear. In this study, we performed RNA sequencing and bioinformatics analysis to reveal circRNA expression patterns in the testes of HZ boars at 30 days (sexual immaturity; Ha) and 120 days (sexual maturity; Hb), with Landrace (LC) boars of the same age (La and Lb) as controls. Subsequently, an abundant circ_005678 (circPAN3) transcribed from the PAN3 gene, was functionally investigated by RT-qPCR, Western Blot, CCK-8, and flow cytometry. RESULTS We identified 31,134 circRNAs in 12 samples, and 2,562, 2,401, 749, and 831 differentially expressed (DE) circRNAs were identified in the Ha-vs-Hb, La-vs-Lb, Ha-vs-La, and Hb-vs-Lb groups, respectively. The results of functional enrichment analyses indicated that these source genes of the DE circRNAs were involved mainly in testicular development and spermatogenesis. Furthermore, we constructed a circRNA-miRNA-mRNA interaction network and functionally analyzed the target genes. GO functional annotation of the target genes suggested that they were mainly involved in biological processes such as gland development, cell proliferation, and reproduction. KEGG pathway analysis further revealed that these genes were enriched mainly in signaling pathways involved in testicular development and spermatogenesis, including the PI3K-Akt and MAPK signaling pathways. Cellular assays revealed that circPAN3 promoted proliferation and inhibited apoptosis in immature Sertoli cells, whereas opposite changes were observed by circPAN3 knockdown. CONCLUSIONS This study revealed the dynamic expression profiles and regulatory mechanisms of circRNAs during sexual maturation in HZ pigs. Further functional studies demonstrated that circPAN3 promoted the proliferation and inhibited the apoptosis of immature Sertoli cells, suggesting that circPAN3 may be closely related to the characteristics of precocious puberty in HZ boars. These findings provide a new perspective for exploring the regulatory mechanism of circRNAs in precocious puberty in HZ pigs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haixia Shi
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, 730030, China
| | - Zunqiang Yan
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, 730030, China
| | - Hong Du
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, 730030, China
| | - Bo Zhang
- Institute of Livestock, Grass and Green Agriculture, Gansu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, 730030, China
| | - Shuangbao Gun
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, 730030, China.
- Gansu Innovation Research Center for Swine Production Engineering and Technology, Lanzhou, 730030, China.
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Feng Y, Zhang Y, Wu J, Qiao M, Zhou J, Xu Z, Li Z, Sun H, Peng X, Mei S. Comprehensive Analysis of Methylome and Transcriptome to Identify Potential Genes Regulating Porcine Testis Development. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:9105. [PMID: 39201790 PMCID: PMC11354776 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25169105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2024] [Revised: 08/16/2024] [Accepted: 08/20/2024] [Indexed: 09/03/2024] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation plays a critical role in regulating gene expression during testicular development. However, few studies report on candidate genes related to the DNA methylation regulation of porcine testicular development. This study examined the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and their methylation levels in testicular tissues from pigs at 60 days of age (60 d) and 180 days of age (180 d) using RNA-Seq and whole genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS). It was determined that DNA methylation primarily occurs in the cytosine-guanine (CG) context, and the analysis identified 106,282 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) corresponding to 12,385 differentially methylated genes (DMGs). Further integrated analysis of RNA-Seq and WGBS data revealed 1083 DMGs negatively correlated with the expression of DEGs. GO analysis showed that these genes were significantly enriched in spermatogenesis, germ cell development, and spermatid differentiation. The screening of enriched genes revealed that hyper-methylation repressed ADAM30, ADAM3A, DPY19L2, H2BC1, MAK, RPL10L, SPATA16, and YBX2, while hypo-methylation elevated CACNA1I, CADM1, CTNNB1, JAM2, and PAFAH1B3 expression. Additionally, the methylation status of the key genes ADAM3A, ADAM30, YBX2, JAM2, PAFAH1B3, and CTNNB1 was detected by bisulfite sequencing PCR (BSP). This study offers insights into the epigenetic regulation mechanisms underlying porcine testicular development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Feng
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Animal Embryo and Molecular Breeding, Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430064, China; (Y.F.); (Y.Z.); (J.W.); (M.Q.); (J.Z.); (Z.X.); (Z.L.); (H.S.)
| | - Yu Zhang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Animal Embryo and Molecular Breeding, Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430064, China; (Y.F.); (Y.Z.); (J.W.); (M.Q.); (J.Z.); (Z.X.); (Z.L.); (H.S.)
| | - Junjing Wu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Animal Embryo and Molecular Breeding, Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430064, China; (Y.F.); (Y.Z.); (J.W.); (M.Q.); (J.Z.); (Z.X.); (Z.L.); (H.S.)
| | - Mu Qiao
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Animal Embryo and Molecular Breeding, Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430064, China; (Y.F.); (Y.Z.); (J.W.); (M.Q.); (J.Z.); (Z.X.); (Z.L.); (H.S.)
| | - Jiawei Zhou
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Animal Embryo and Molecular Breeding, Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430064, China; (Y.F.); (Y.Z.); (J.W.); (M.Q.); (J.Z.); (Z.X.); (Z.L.); (H.S.)
| | - Zhong Xu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Animal Embryo and Molecular Breeding, Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430064, China; (Y.F.); (Y.Z.); (J.W.); (M.Q.); (J.Z.); (Z.X.); (Z.L.); (H.S.)
| | - Zipeng Li
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Animal Embryo and Molecular Breeding, Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430064, China; (Y.F.); (Y.Z.); (J.W.); (M.Q.); (J.Z.); (Z.X.); (Z.L.); (H.S.)
| | - Hua Sun
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Animal Embryo and Molecular Breeding, Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430064, China; (Y.F.); (Y.Z.); (J.W.); (M.Q.); (J.Z.); (Z.X.); (Z.L.); (H.S.)
| | - Xianwen Peng
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Animal Embryo and Molecular Breeding, Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430064, China; (Y.F.); (Y.Z.); (J.W.); (M.Q.); (J.Z.); (Z.X.); (Z.L.); (H.S.)
| | - Shuqi Mei
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Animal Embryo and Molecular Breeding, Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430064, China; (Y.F.); (Y.Z.); (J.W.); (M.Q.); (J.Z.); (Z.X.); (Z.L.); (H.S.)
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan 430070, China
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Liu M, Chen J, Zhang C, Liu S, Chao X, Yang H, Muhammad A, Zhou B, Ao W, Schinckel AP. Deciphering Estrus Expression in Gilts: The Role of Alternative Polyadenylation and LincRNAs in Reproductive Transcriptomics. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:791. [PMID: 38473176 DOI: 10.3390/ani14050791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The fertility rate and litter size of female pigs are critically affected by the expression of estrus. The objective of this study was to elucidate the regulatory mechanisms of estrus expression by analyzing the differential expression of genes and long intergenic non-coding RNAs (lincRNA), as well as the utilization of alternative polyadenylation (APA) sites, in the vulva and vagina during the estrus and diestrus stages of Large White and indigenous Chinese Mi gilts. Our study revealed that the number of differentially expressed genes (DEG) in the vulva was less than that in the vagina, and the DEGs in the vulva were enriched in pathways such as "neural" pathways and steroid hormone responses, including the "Calcium signaling pathway" and "Oxytocin signaling pathway". The DEGs in the vagina were enriched in the "Metabolic pathways" and "VEGF signaling pathway". Furthermore, 27 and 21 differentially expressed lincRNAs (DEL), whose target genes were enriched in the "Endocrine resistance" pathway, were identified in the vulva and vagina, respectively. Additionally, we observed that 63 and 618 transcripts of the 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) were lengthened during estrus in the vulva and vagina, respectively. Interestingly, the genes undergoing APA events in the vulva exhibited species-specific enrichment in neural or steroid-related pathways, whereas those in the vagina were enriched in apoptosis or autophagy-related pathways. Further bioinformatic analysis of these lengthened 3'-UTRs revealed the presence of multiple miRNAs binding sites and cytoplasmic polyadenylation element (CPE) regulatory aspects. In particular, we identified more than 10 CPEs in the validated lengthened 3'-UTRs of the NFIX, PCNX4, CEP162 and ABHD2 genes using RT-qPCR. These findings demonstrated the involvement of APA and lincRNAs in the regulation of estrus expression in female pigs, providing new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying estrus expression in pigs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingzheng Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Jiahao Chen
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Chunlei Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Shuhan Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Xiaohuan Chao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Huan Yang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Asim Muhammad
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Bo Zhou
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Weiping Ao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China
| | - Allan P Schinckel
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2054, USA
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Liu M, Zhang C, Chen J, Xu Q, Liu S, Chao X, Yang H, Wang T, Muhammad A, Schinckel AP, Zhou B. Characterization and analysis of transcriptomes of multiple tissues from estrus and diestrus in pigs. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 256:128324. [PMID: 38007026 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.128324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/27/2023]
Abstract
A comprehensive understanding of the complex regulatory mechanisms governing estrus and ovulation across multiple tissues in mammals is imperative to improve the reproductive performance of livestock and mitigate ovulation-related disorders in humans. To comprehensively elucidate the regulatory landscape, we analyzed the transcriptome of protein-coding genes and long intergenic non-coding RNAs (lincRNAs) in 58 samples (including the hypothalamus, pituitary, ovary, vagina, and vulva) derived from European Large White gilts and Chinese Mi gilts during estrus and diestrus. We constructed an intricate regulatory network encompassing 358 hub genes across the five examined tissues. Furthermore, our investigation identified 85 differentially expressed lincRNAs that are predicted to target 230 genes associated with critical functions including behavior, receptors, and apoptosis. Importantly, we found that vital components of estrus and ovulation events involve "Apoptosis" pathway in the hypothalamus, "Autophagy" in the ovary, as well as "Hypoxia" and "Angiogenesis" in the vagina and vulva. We have identified several differentially expressed transcription factors (TFs), such as SPI1 and HES2, which regulate these pathways. SPI1 may suppress transcription in the autophagy pathway, promoting apoptosis and inhibiting the proliferation of ovarian granulosa cells. Our study provides the most comprehensive transcriptional profiling information related to estrus and ovulation events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingzheng Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
| | - Chunlei Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
| | - Jiahao Chen
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
| | - Qinglei Xu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
| | - Shuhan Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
| | - Xiaohuan Chao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
| | - Huan Yang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
| | - Tianshuo Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
| | - Asim Muhammad
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
| | - Allan P Schinckel
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2054, USA.
| | - Bo Zhou
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
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