Jeong W, Bae H, Lim W, Bazer F W, Song G
J Anim Sci. 2017 Sep;95(9):3885-3904. doi: 10.2527/jas2017.1663.
Neuregulin 1 (NRG1), a signaling protein that binds to members of the erythroblastoma (ErbB) family, is known to play essential biological roles in mediating cell-cell interactions and orchestrating vital cell functions in the heart and nervous system. NRG1 is closely associated with developmental processes in various organs and expression of several NRG1 isoforms are regulated by estrogen. However, expression and its hormonal regulation during development of the female reproductive tract remain unknown. The reproductive system of chickens undergoes dynamic morphological and functional changes in response to estrogen and the molting process. Therefore, in the current study, we found differential expression of and candidate microRNA regulating chicken transcription in response to estrogen stimulation and/or the molting process. The results revealed that relative expression of mRNA increased in the oviducts of chicks treated with diesthylstilbestrol (DES; a synthetic non-steroidal estrogen). Additionally, abundant NRG1 mRNA expression was primarily in the glandular (GE) and luminal (LE) epithelia of the magnum in the developing chick oviduct in response to exogenous estrogen. Also, expression decreased during regression of the oviduct following induced molting by feeding high levels of zinc in the diet, and then gradually resurged as the oviduct underwent remodeling and recrudescence in laying hens. In addition, the present results revealed changes in relative expression of candidate chicken microRNA (, and ) targeting transcription in chicken oviducts in response to exogenous estrogen. In conclusion, these results provide the first evidence that is a novel estrogen-responsive gene closely correlated with the estrogen-dependent development of the oviduct of chicks and regeneration of the oviduct after molting. Further, regulation of expression involving at least 3 chicken miRNA is likely a prerequisite for those estrogen regulated developmental events.
神经调节蛋白1(NRG1)是一种与成红细胞瘤(ErbB)家族成员结合的信号蛋白,已知在介导细胞间相互作用以及协调心脏和神经系统的重要细胞功能中发挥关键生物学作用。NRG1与各个器官的发育过程密切相关,并且几种NRG1亚型的表达受雌激素调节。然而,雌性生殖道发育过程中的表达及其激素调节仍不清楚。鸡的生殖系统会响应雌激素和换羽过程发生动态的形态和功能变化。因此,在本研究中,我们发现了响应雌激素刺激和/或换羽过程,鸡转录过程中存在差异表达以及候选微小RNA。结果显示,用己烯雌酚(DES;一种合成的非甾体雌激素)处理的雏鸡输卵管中,mRNA的相对表达增加。此外,响应外源性雌激素,发育中的雏鸡输卵管中,大量NRG1 mRNA表达主要位于输卵管膨大部的腺上皮(GE)和腔上皮(LE)。而且,在通过在日粮中添加高水平锌诱导换羽后,输卵管退化期间表达下降,然后随着产蛋母鸡输卵管进行重塑和恢复,表达逐渐回升。此外,本研究结果还揭示了响应外源性雌激素,鸡输卵管中靶向转录的候选鸡微小RNA(、和)相对表达的变化。总之,这些结果提供了首个证据,即NRG1是一个新的雌激素反应基因,与雏鸡输卵管雌激素依赖性发育以及换羽后输卵管再生密切相关。此外,涉及至少3种鸡微小RNA的NRG1表达调控可能是这些雌激素调节的发育事件的一个先决条件。