Detection and comparison of microRNAs in the caprine mammary gland tissues of colostrum and common milk stages

Jinxing Hou, Xiaopeng An, Yuxuan Song, Binyun Cao, Heping Yang, Zhou Zhang, Wenzheng Shen, Yunpu Li*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

37 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have a great influence on various physiological functions. A lot of high-throughput sequencing (HTS) research on miRNAs has been executed in the caprine mammary gland at different lactation periods (common milk lactation and dry period), but little is known about differentially expressed miRNAs in the caprine mammary gland of colostrum and peak lactation periods. Result: This study identified 131 differentially expressed miRNAs (P<0.05 and log2 colostrum normalized expression (NE)/peak lactation NE>1 or log2 colostrum NE/peak lactation NE<-1), including 57 known miRNAs and 74 potential novel miRNAs in the colostrum and peak lactation libraries. In addition, compared with differentially expressed miRNAs in the peak lactation period, 45 miRNAs in the colostrum lactation period were remarkably upregulated, whereas 86 miRNAs were markedly downregulated (P<0.05 and log2 colostrum NE/peak lactation NE>1 or log2 colostrum NE/peak lactation NE<-1). The expressions of 10 randomly selected miRNAs was analyzed through stem-loop real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). Their expression patterns were the same with Solexa sequencing results. Pathway analysis suggested that oestrogen, endocrine, adipocytokine, oxytocin and MAPK signalling pathways act on the development of mammary gland and milk secretion importantly. In addition, the miRNA-target-network showed that the bta-miR-574 could influence the development of mammary gland and lactation by leptin receptor (LEPR), which was in the adipocytokine signalling pathway. Chr5_3880_mature regulated mammary gland development and lactation through Serine/threonine-protein phosphatase (PPP1CA), which was in the oxytocin signalling pathway. Conclusions: Our finding suggested that the profiles of miRNAs were related to the physiological functions of mammary gland in the colostrum and peak lactation periods. The biological features of these miRNAs may help to clarify the molecular mechanisms of lactation and the development of caprine mammary gland.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number38
JournalBMC Genetics
Volume18
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - May 2 2017

Funding

All animals were maintained in accordance with proclamation No. 5 of the Ministry of Agriculture, China. This study was supported by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Ethics Committee of Northwest A&F University. Tissue samples were collected in Laboratory Animal Centre of Northwest A&F University. Sample collection was supported by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Ethics Committee of Northwest A&F University and executed according to the “Guidelines for Experimental Animals” of the Ministry of Science and Technology (Beijing, China). This study was supported by the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2016 T90954 and 2014 M552498), National Natural Science Foundation of China (31601925), Shaanxi Science and Technology Innovation Project Plan (2015KTCQ03-08 and 2016KTZDNY02-04), Shaanxi Postdoctoral Science Foundation (133783) and Basic Research Funds of Northwest A&F University (2452015029).

Keywords

  • Colostrum
  • Dairy goats
  • Mammary gland
  • Solexa sequencing

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Genetics
  • Genetics(clinical)

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