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

doi:10.1186/s12863-017-0498-2

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

BMC Genet. 2017 May 2;18(1):38. doi: 10.1186/s12863-017-0498-2.

Authors

Jinxing Hou¹, Xiaopeng An², Yuxuan Song², Binyun Cao², Heping Yang¹, Zhou Zhang¹, Wenzheng Shen¹, Yunpu Li³

Affiliations

¹ Animal Engineering Branch, Yangling Vocational & Technical College, No. 10 Xinong Road, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, People's Republic of China.
² College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, No. 22 Xinong Road, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, People's Republic of China.
³ Animal Engineering Branch, Yangling Vocational & Technical College, No. 10 Xinong Road, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, People's Republic of China. liyunpu_zy@126.com.

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.

Keywords: Colostrum; Dairy goats; Mammary gland; Solexa sequencing.

Publication types

Comparative Study
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Colostrum / chemistry*
Female
Gene Expression Profiling
Gene Expression Regulation
Goats / genetics*
Goats / metabolism
High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing
Lactation / genetics*
Mammary Glands, Animal / cytology
Mammary Glands, Animal / growth & development*
Mammary Glands, Animal / metabolism
MicroRNAs / analysis*
Milk / chemistry*

Substances

MicroRNAs