miR-138-5p promotes chicken granulosa cell apoptosis targeting .

Granulosa cell (GC) apoptosis is the main trigger of follicular atresia. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are 18-22 nt RNAs whose function is primarily determined by their extended seed region and are considered to be involved in the biological functions of follicular development, including follicular atresia, folliculogenesis, and oogenesis. MiR-138-5p is known to act on chicken GCs. In this study, we found that miR-138-5p was enriched in reproductive organs, such as the uterus and ovaries. To examine whether miR-138-5p could regulate the biological process of GCs, miR-138-5p was examined by transfection of cells with a mimic or inhibitor of miR-138-5p. Expression levels of and mRNA and protein were markedly increased or decreased after transfection of the mimic or inhibitor, respectively. Furthermore, following miR-138-5p inhibition, , one of the target genes of miR-138-5p, was found to increase the mRNA, which is correlated with the increased levels of expression, an anti-apoptotic gene in the chicken GCs. These results suggest that miR-138-5p promotes apoptosis in chicken GCs by targeting .