Comparative Metabolomics Study Revealed Difference in Central Carbon Metabolism between Sika Deer and Red Deer Antler

Abstract

The antler regeneration has been well studied for the past two decades and adopted in the regenerative medicine model for studying on developmental biology. Despite our growing knowledge of functional molecules regulating antler regeneration, we still do not know whether antler from different deer species possess the exact same mechanism or not. Our previous comparative study between sika deer and red deer suggests that the metabolic pathways between them are profoundly different based on protein level. Therefore, the metabolomic technology is used to identify and quantify the metabolites in antler samples, providing interesting insights into differential metabolite profile of antlers between sika deer and red deer. The distinct metabolic characteristics of sika deer compared to red deer provide an opportunity to explain why the red deer antler with a larger size. The enrichment analysis of differential metabolites showed that three pathways including glycine and serine metabolism, methionine metabolism, and pterine biosynthesis had a significant difference between two antler groups.

RNA sequencing-based identification of microRNAs in the antler cartilage of Gansu red deer (Cervus elaphus kansuensis)

“…In summer, velvet antler grows rapidly, and a large number of blood vessels in antler can transport nutrients to and excrete metabolites from the antler. It has been reported that there may be a close relationship between metabolites and the size of velvet antlers ( Su et al, 2020 ). Thus, metabolic pathways play important roles in rapid growth and regeneration of velvet antler.…”