Background MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs playing vital roles in regulating posttranscriptional gene expression. Elucidating the expression regulation of miRNAs underlying pig testis development will contribute to a better understanding of boar fertility and spermatogenesis. Results In this study, miRNA expression profile was investigated in testes of Duroc and Meishan boars at 20, 75, and 270 days of age by high-throughput sequencing. Forty-five differentially expressed miRNAs were identified from testes of Duroc and Meishan boars before and after puberty. Integrated analysis of miRNA and mRNA profiles predicted many miRNA-mRNA pairs. Gene ontology and biological pathway analyses revealed that predicted target genes of ssc-mir-423-5p, ssc-mir-34c, ssc-mir-107, ssc-mir-196b-5p, ssc-mir-92a, ssc-mir-320, ssc-mir-10a-5p, and ssc-mir-181b were involved in sexual reproduction, male gamete generation, and spermatogenesis, and GnRH, Wnt, and MAPK signaling pathway. Four significantly differentially expressed miRNAs and their predicted target genes were validated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and phospholipase C beta 1 (PLCβ1) gene was verified to be a target of ssc-mir-423-5p. Conclusions This study provides an insight into the functional roles of miRNAs in testis development and spermatogenesis and offers useful resources for understanding differences in sexual function development caused by the change in miRNAs expression between Duroc and Meishan boars.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) caused by a single-stranded RNA virus (PRRSV) is a highly infectious respiratory disease and leads to huge economic losses to the swine industry worldwide. To investigate the role of miRNAs in the infection and lung injury induced by PRRSV, the differentially expressed miRNAs (DE-miRs) were isolated from PRRSV-2 infected/mock-infected PAMs of Meishan, Landrace, Pietrain, and Qingping pigs at 9, 36, and 60 hpi. Mir-331-3p was the only common DE-miR in each set of miRNA expression profile at 36 hpi. Mir-210 was one of 7 common DE-miRs between PRRSV infected and mock-infected PAMs of Meishan, Pietrain, and Qingping pigs at 60 hpi. Mir-331-3p/mir-210 could target PRRSV-2 ORF1b, bind and downregulate porcine TNF-α/STAT1 expression, and inhibit PRRSV-2 replication, respectively. Furthermore, STAT1 and TNF-α could mediate the transcriptional activation of MCP-1, VCAM-1, and ICAM-1. STAT1 could also upregulate the expression of TNF-α by binding to its promoter region. In vivo, pEGFP-N1-mir-331-3p could significantly reduce viral replication and pathological changes in PRRSV-2 infected piglets. Taken together, Mir-331-3p/mir-210 have significant roles in the infection and lung injury caused by PRRSV-2, and they may be promising therapeutic targets for PRRS and lung injury/inflammation.

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Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) is one of the most economically devastating diseases affecting the swine industry worldwide. To investigate the role of miRNAs in the infection and susceptibility of PRRS virus (PRRSV), twenty-four miRNA libraries were constructed and sequenced from PRRSV-infected and mock-infected Porcine alveolar macrophages (PAMs) of Meishan, Landrace, Pietrain and Qingping pigs at 9 hours post infection (hpi), 36 hpi, and 60 hpi. The let-7 family miRNAs were significantly differentially expressed between PRRSV-infected and mock-infected PAMs from 4 pig breeds. The let-7 family miRNAs could significantly inhibit PRRSV-2 replication by directly targeting the 3’UTR of the PRRSV-2 genome and porcine IL6, which plays an important role in PRRSV replication and lung injury. NEAT1 acts as a competing endogenous lncRNA (ceRNA) to upregulate IL6 by attaching let-7 in PAMs. EMSA and ChIP results confirmed that ARID3A could bind to the promoter region of pri-let-7a/let-7f/let-7d gene cluster and inhibit the expression of the let-7 family. Moreover, the NF-κB signaling pathway inhibits the expression of the let-7 family by affecting the nuclear import of ARID3A. The pEGFP-N1-let-7 significantly reduced viral infections and pathological changes in PRRSV-infected piglets. Taken together, NEAT1/ARID3A/let-7/IL6 play significant roles in PRRSV-2 infection and may be promising therapeutic targets for PRRS.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) is an infectious disease caused by the PRRS virus that leads to reproductive disorders and severe dyspnoea in pigs, which has serious economic impacts. One of the reasons PRRSV cannot be effectively controlled is that it has developed countermeasures against the host immune response, allowing it to survive and replicate for long periods. Transcription Factors acts as a bridge in the interactions between the host and PRRSV. PRRSV can create an environment conducive to PRRSV replication through transcription factors acting on miRNAs, inflammatory factors, and immune cells. Conversely, some transcription factors also inhibit PRRSV proliferation in the host. In this review, we systematically described how PRRSV uses host transcription factors such as SP1, CEBPB, STATs, and AP-1 to escape the host immune system. Determining the role of transcription factors in immune evasion and understanding the pathogenesis of PRRSV will help to develop new treatments for PRRSV.

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Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs playing vital roles in regulating posttranscriptional gene expression. Elucidating the expression regulation of miRNAs underlying pig testis development will contribute to a better understanding of boar fertility and spermatogenesis. Results: In this study, miRNA expression profile was investigated in testes of Duroc and Meishan boars at 20, 75, and 270 days of age by high-throughput sequencing. Forty-five differentially expressed miRNAs were identified from testes of Duroc and Meishan boars before and after puberty. Integrated analysis of miRNA and mRNA profiles predicted many miRNA-mRNA pairs. Gene ontology and biological pathway analyses revealed that predicted target genes of ssc-mir-423-5p, ssc-mir-34c, ssc-mir-107, ssc-165 mir-196b-5p, ssc-mir-92a, ssc-mir-320, ssc-mir-10a-5p, and ssc-mir-181b were involved in sexual reproduction, male gamete generation, and spermatogenesis, and GnRH, Wnt, and MAPK signaling pathway. Four significantly differentially expressed miRNAs and their predicted target genes were validated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and phospholipase C beta 1 (PLCβ1) gene was verified to be a target of ssc-mir-423-5p. Conclusions: This study provides an insight into the functional roles of miRNAs in testis development and spermatogenesis and offers useful resources for understanding differences in sexual function development caused by the change in miRNAs expression between Duroc and Meishan boars.

Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs playing vital roles in regulating posttranscriptional gene expression. Elucidating the expression regulation of miRNAs underlying pig testis development will contribute to a better understanding of boar fertility and spermatogenesis. Results: In this study, miRNA expression profile was investigated in testes of Duroc and Meishan boars at 20, 75, and 270 days of age by high-throughput sequencing. Forty-five differentially expressed miRNAs were identified from testes of Duroc and Meishan boars before and after puberty. Integrated analysis of miRNA and mRNA profiles predicted many miRNA-mRNA pairs. Gene ontology and biological pathway analyses revealed that predicted target genes of ssc-mir-423-5p, ssc-mir-34c, ssc-mir-107, ssc-165 mir-196b-5p, ssc-mir-92a, ssc-mir-320, ssc-mir-10a-5p, and ssc-mir-181b were involved in sexual reproduction, male gamete generation, and spermatogenesis, and GnRH, Wnt, and MAPK signaling pathway. Four significantly differentially expressed miRNAs and their predicted target genes were validated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and phospholipase C beta 1 (PLCβ1) gene was verified to be a target of ssc-mir-423-5p. Conclusions: This study provides an insight into the functional roles of miRNAs in testis development and spermatogenesis and offers useful resources for understanding differences in sexual function development caused by the change in miRNAs expression between Duroc and Meishan boars.