Ren Wenwen, La Yongfu, Ma Xiaoming, Wu Xiaoyun, Guo Xian, Chu Min, Yan Ping, Lan Xianyong, Liang Chunnian
Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China.
Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China.
Animals (Basel). 2025 Jan 2;15(1):87. doi: 10.3390/ani15010087.
Yaks are a rare and unique animal species inhabiting the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau; they are renowned for their remarkable ability to thrive in harsh environments. Milk-derived exosomes, tiny vesicles containing various biological molecules, play crucial roles in numerous pathological and physiological processes, including cell growth, development, and immune regulation. This study delved into the microRNA expression profiles of yak milk-derived exosomes collected from both high- and low-altitude populations using small RNA sequencing. These miRNAs were found to be implicated in pathways associated with mammary gland inflammation, virus infection regulation, and heat stress response. Functional enrichment analyses, utilizing GO and KEGG databases, revealed that the target genes of these differentially expressed miRNAs are enriched in signaling pathways crucial for Th17 cell differentiation and the Ras-MAPK signaling pathway. In conclusion, this research illuminates the adaptive mechanisms of yaks through the differential expression of miRNAs in their milk-derived exosomes across varying environmental conditions. These findings provide a valuable foundation for future investigations into yak resilience and the potential of milk-derived exosomes as tools for disease management and immune modulation.
牦牛是一种栖息于青藏高原的珍稀独特动物物种；它们以在恶劣环境中茁壮成长的非凡能力而闻名。源自牛奶的外泌体是包含各种生物分子的微小囊泡，在众多病理和生理过程中发挥关键作用，包括细胞生长、发育和免疫调节。本研究利用小RNA测序深入探究了从高海拔和低海拔群体采集的牦牛牛奶外泌体的微小RNA表达谱。这些微小RNA被发现与乳腺炎症、病毒感染调控和热应激反应相关的途径有关。利用GO和KEGG数据库进行的功能富集分析表明，这些差异表达的微小RNA的靶基因在对Th17细胞分化至关重要的信号通路和Ras-MAPK信号通路中富集。总之，本研究通过牦牛牛奶外泌体中微小RNA在不同环境条件下的差异表达阐明了牦牛的适应性机制。这些发现为未来研究牦牛的适应能力以及牛奶外泌体作为疾病管理和免疫调节工具的潜力提供了宝贵的基础。
