Zhang Huili, Cao Xuanming, Wang Youdong, Cheng Bohan, Leng Li, Luan Peng, Cao Zhiping, Li Yumao, Bai Xue
College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, PR China; Key Laboratory of Chicken Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Harbin 150030, PR China; Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Education Department of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin 150030, PR China; Yangquan Animal Husbandry Technology Service Center, Yangquan, 045000, PR China.
College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, PR China; Key Laboratory of Chicken Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Harbin 150030, PR China; Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Education Department of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin 150030, PR China.
Poult Sci. 2025 May 3;104(8):105261. doi: 10.1016/j.psj.2025.105261.
As the primary site of lipogenesis in birds, the liver orchestrates avian lipid metabolism and is pivotal for fat accumulation in chickens. Lipid metabolism during the broiler embryo stage may significantly affect post-hatch growth performance, yet research on this subject remains limited. While long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been found to regulate liver lipid metabolism in post-hatch chickens, their functions during the embryonic stage remains unclear. This study revealed that, compared to lean line broiler embryos, fat line broiler embryos showed upregulated gene expression related to de novo fatty acid synthesis, glycerol-3-phosphate synthesis, triglyceride synthesis, and the degradation of both fatty acids and cholesterol. Through transcriptome analysis and functional validation, lncRNA1926 and lncRNA3223 were identified as key regulators of lipid metabolism in broiler embryo livers. Knocking down either of lncRNA1926 or lncRNA3223 significantly reduced lipid droplet accumulation, triglyceride levels, and total cholesterol levels in primary hepatocytes of broiler embryos. Our findings demonstrate distinct lipid metabolic gene expression profiles between fat and lean line broiler embryo livers, and highlight lncRNA1926 and lncRNA3223 are key regulators of lipid metabolism during the embryonic stage. This study enhances the scientific understanding of lipid metabolism regulation in chicken livers and provides a theoretical foundation for genetically improving abdominal fat traits in broilers.
作为鸟类脂肪生成的主要部位，肝脏协调着禽类的脂质代谢，对鸡的脂肪积累至关重要。肉鸡胚胎期的脂质代谢可能会显著影响孵化后的生长性能，但关于这一主题的研究仍然有限。虽然已发现长链非编码RNA（lncRNAs）可调节孵化后鸡的肝脏脂质代谢，但其在胚胎期的功能仍不清楚。本研究表明，与瘦肉型品系肉鸡胚胎相比，脂肪型品系肉鸡胚胎中与从头脂肪酸合成、3-磷酸甘油合成、甘油三酯合成以及脂肪酸和胆固醇降解相关的基因表达上调。通过转录组分析和功能验证，lncRNA1926和lncRNA3223被确定为肉鸡胚胎肝脏脂质代谢的关键调节因子。敲低lncRNA1926或lncRNA3223中的任何一个，均可显著降低肉鸡胚胎原代肝细胞中的脂滴积累、甘油三酯水平和总胆固醇水平。我们的研究结果表明了脂肪型和瘦肉型品系肉鸡胚胎肝脏之间不同的脂质代谢基因表达谱，并突出了lncRNA1926和lncRNA3223是胚胎期脂质代谢的关键调节因子。本研究增进了对鸡肝脏脂质代谢调控的科学理解，并为遗传改良肉鸡腹部脂肪性状提供了理论基础。
