College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, Heilongjiang, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Education Department of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin, 150030, Heilongjiang, China.
Institute of Animal Husbandry, Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, 150086, Heilongjiang, China.
Theriogenology. 2022 Mar 15;181:161-169. doi: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2022.01.001. Epub 2022 Jan 3.
Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) has been widely reported to influence ovarian follicular development, and miRNAs play a significant role in mammalian follicular development by regulating their target genes. Therefore, it is of interest to explore the roles of miRNAs in sheep follicular development during FSH stimulation. In the current study, we constructed miRNA expression profiles of small follicles (SFs, prerecruitment stage), medium follicles (MFs, dominance stage), and large follicles (LFs, maturation stage). Three and 50 significant differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) were identified in the MF vs. SF and LF vs. SF comparisons, respectively, and none were identified in the LF vs. MF comparison. Oar-miR-10a was significantly downregulated in MFs compared with SFs. In LFs compared with SFs, miR-212-3p, miR-212-5p and miR-202-5p were significantly upregulated, and miR-27a-3p, miR-181a-5p, miR-204-5p, and miR-182-5p were significantly downregulated. Furthermore, we predicted the target genes of significant DEMs and performed functional enrichment analyses of these target genes. Analyses of KEGG pathways and GO terms showed that the putative target genes were significantly enriched in ovarian steroidogenesis, glutathione metabolism, positive regulation of cell differentiation, positive regulation of cell development, and cellular response to oxygen-containing compounds. Analyses of miRNA-gene regulatory networks suggested that miR-181a-5p-CYP11A1, (miR-27a-3p and miR-129-5p)-LDLR, (miR-212-3p and miR-212-5p)-EFNA5, (miR-181a-5p, miR-182-5p, and miR-27a-3p)-INHBA, and miR-182-5p-SOD2 might be involved in follicular development. The present study provides basic data and suggests research directions for further exploration of the roles of miRNAs in sheep follicular development under FSH stimulation.
卵泡刺激素（FSH）已被广泛报道影响卵巢卵泡发育，而 miRNA 通过调控其靶基因在哺乳动物卵泡发育中发挥重要作用。因此，探讨 FSH 刺激下绵羊卵泡发育过程中 miRNA 的作用具有重要意义。本研究构建了小卵泡（SFs，募集前阶段）、中卵泡（MFs，优势阶段）和大卵泡（LFs，成熟阶段）的 miRNA 表达谱。在 MF 与 SF 以及 LF 与 SF 的比较中分别鉴定出 3 个和 50 个显著差异表达 miRNA（DEM），而在 LF 与 MF 的比较中未鉴定出 DEM。与 SF 相比，MF 中 Oar-miR-10a 显著下调。与 SF 相比，LF 中 miR-212-3p、miR-212-5p 和 miR-202-5p 显著上调，miR-27a-3p、miR-181a-5p、miR-204-5p 和 miR-182-5p 显著下调。此外，我们预测了显著 DEM 的靶基因，并对这些靶基因进行了功能富集分析。KEGG 通路和 GO 术语分析表明，假定靶基因在卵巢甾体生成、谷胱甘肽代谢、细胞分化的正调控、细胞发育的正调控和细胞对含氧化合物的反应中显著富集。miRNA-基因调控网络分析表明，miR-181a-5p-CYP11A1、（miR-27a-3p 和 miR-129-5p）-LDLR、（miR-212-3p 和 miR-212-5p）-EFNA5、（miR-181a-5p、miR-182-5p 和 miR-27a-3p）-INHBA 和 miR-182-5p-SOD2 可能参与卵泡发育。本研究为进一步探讨 FSH 刺激下绵羊卵泡发育过程中 miRNA 的作用提供了基础数据和研究方向。
