College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832003, China.
College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832003, China.
Gene. 2018 Jul 20;664:181-191. doi: 10.1016/j.gene.2018.04.025. Epub 2018 Apr 25.
Seasonal estrus is a critical limiting factor for animal fecundity. However, estrus occurs in some seasonally estrous sheep in the non-breeding season, and this phenomenon involves changes in ovarian biology. Previous studies indicated that small RNAs, such as microRNAs (miRNAs), play important regulatory roles in ovarian biology. Differentially expressed miRNAs in the ovaries of estrous sheep were identified using Solexa sequencing technology. A total of 423 known miRNAs were identified in ovaries of estrous sheep in the breeding season and non-breeding season. In the comparison of these two groups, 48 miRNAs were identified that were differentially expressed between the two groups (including 5 up-regulated and 43 down-regulated miRNAs). KEGG pathway analysis revealed that the target genes of some differentially expressed miRNAs were involved in pathways related to reproductive hormone signaling and follicular development. Furthermore, the levels of estradiol (E2), progesterone (P4), luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) were lower in anestrus sheep than in sheep during the breeding season. Upon combining the pathway enrichment analysis, target gene expression and hormone measurement results, we suggest that these differentially expressed miRNAs might influence ovarian activity in the non-breeding season by regulating the above pathways. The identification of miRNAs that are differentially expressed between ovines in the breeding season and non-breeding season will contribute to our understanding of the role of miRNAs in estrus regulation, and these data may provide a basis for regulating estrus in sheep during the non-breeding season.
季节性发情是动物繁殖力的一个关键限制因素。然而，一些季节性发情的绵羊在非繁殖季节也会发情，这种现象涉及到卵巢生物学的变化。先前的研究表明，小 RNA，如 microRNAs (miRNAs)，在卵巢生物学中发挥着重要的调节作用。本研究采用 Solexa 测序技术鉴定了发情绵羊卵巢中差异表达的 miRNAs。在繁殖季节和非繁殖季节发情绵羊的卵巢中鉴定出了 423 个已知的 miRNAs。在这两组的比较中，鉴定出了 48 个在两组之间差异表达的 miRNAs（包括 5 个上调和 43 个下调的 miRNAs）。KEGG 通路分析显示，一些差异表达 miRNAs 的靶基因参与了与生殖激素信号和卵泡发育相关的途径。此外，非发情绵羊的雌二醇（E2）、孕酮（P4）、促黄体生成素（LH）和促卵泡激素（FSH）水平均低于发情绵羊。结合通路富集分析、靶基因表达和激素测量结果，我们认为这些差异表达的 miRNAs 可能通过调节上述途径影响非繁殖季节的卵巢活动。鉴定出繁殖季节和非繁殖季节绵羊卵巢中差异表达的 miRNAs，将有助于我们理解 miRNAs 在发情调控中的作用，这些数据可能为调控绵羊非繁殖季节发情提供依据。
