Chao Xiaohuan, Guo Lijin, Hu Meiling, Ye Mao, Fan Zhexia, Luan Kang, Chen Jiahao, Zhang Chunlei, Liu Manqing, Zhou Bo, Zhang Xiquan, Li Zhenhui, Luo Qingbin
State Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Breeding, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.
Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding and Key Lab of Chicken Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, Guangzhou, China.
BMC Genomics. 2025 Mar 20;26(1):275. doi: 10.1186/s12864-025-11464-6.
DNA methylation influences gene expression and is involved in numerous biological processes, including fat production. It is involved in lipid generation in numerous animal species, including poultry. However, the effect of DNA methylation on adipogenesis in chickens remains unclear.
A total of 12 100-day-old chickens were divided into high and low-fat groups based on their abdominal fat ratios. Subsequently, genome-wide bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) was performed on their abdominal fat, and 1877 differentially methylated region (DMR) genes were identified, among which SLC45A3, EBF1, PLA2G15, and ACAD9 were associated with lipid metabolism. Interestingly, EBF1 showed a lower level of DNA methylation and higher mRNA expression in the low-fat group, as determined by comprehensive RNA-seq analysis. Cellular verification showed that EBF1 expression was upregulated by 5-azacytidine (5-Aza) and downregulated by betaine. EBF1 facilitated the differentiation of immortalized chicken preadipocyte 1 (ICP-1) through the PPAR-γ pathway, thereby affecting chicken adipogenesis.
A combination of WGBS and RNA-seq analyses revealed 48 DMGs in the abdominal fat tissue of chickens. Notably, the DNA methylation status of EBF1 was inversely related to its mRNA expression. Mechanistically, DNA methylation regulates EBF1 expression, which in turn mediates the differentiation of ICP-1 through the PPARγ pathway. This study provides a theoretical framework for investigating the effects of DNA methylation on adipogenesis in chickens.
DNA甲基化影响基因表达，并参与包括脂肪生成在内的众多生物学过程。它在包括家禽在内的众多动物物种的脂质生成中发挥作用。然而，DNA甲基化对鸡脂肪生成的影响仍不清楚。
根据腹部脂肪比例，将12只100日龄的鸡分为高脂肪组和低脂肪组。随后，对它们的腹部脂肪进行全基因组亚硫酸氢盐测序（WGBS），鉴定出1877个差异甲基化区域（DMR）基因，其中SLC45A3、EBF1、PLA2G15和ACAD9与脂质代谢相关。有趣的是，通过综合RNA测序分析确定，EBF1在低脂肪组中的DNA甲基化水平较低，mRNA表达较高。细胞验证表明，5-氮杂胞苷（5-Aza）上调EBF1表达，甜菜碱下调其表达。EBF1通过PPAR-γ途径促进永生化鸡前脂肪细胞1（ICP-1）的分化，从而影响鸡的脂肪生成。
WGBS和RNA测序分析相结合，揭示了鸡腹部脂肪组织中的48个差异甲基化基因（DMG）。值得注意的是，EBF1的DNA甲基化状态与其mRNA表达呈负相关。从机制上讲，DNA甲基化调节EBF1表达，进而通过PPARγ途径介导ICP-1的分化。本研究为研究DNA甲基化对鸡脂肪生成的影响提供了理论框架。
