Differential Expression of miR-34c and Its Predicted Target Genes in Testicular Tissue at Different Development Stages of Swine

Abstract

To verified the target genes of miR-34c, bioinformatics software was used to predict the targets of miR-34c. Three possible target genes of miR-34c related to spermatogenesis and male reproductive development: zinc finger protein 148 (ZNF148), kruppel-like factor 4 (KLF4), and platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRA) were predicted. Then, the expression of miR-34c and its target genes were detected in swine testicular tissue at different developmental stages by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The results suggested that the expression of PDGFRA has the highest negative correlation with miR-34c. Then immunohistochemical staining was done to observe the morphology of swine testicular tissue at 2-days and 3, 4, 5-months of age, which indicated that PDGFRA was mainly expressed in the support cells near the basement membrane during the early development stages of testicular tissue, but that the expression of PDGFRA was gradually reduced in later stages. Therefore, western blot analyzed that the highest expression of PDGFRA was generated in 2-days old testicular tissues and the expression levels reduced at 3 and 4-months old, which correlated with the results of immunohistochemical staining. In conclusion, PDGFRA is a target gene of miR-34c.

Functions and mechanism of noncoding RNA in the somatic cells of the testis

“…Platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRA), which is mainly expressed in support cells such as SCs, has been identified as one target gene of miR-34c in swine. In addition, the expression level of PDGFRA in 2 days was much higher than it was in 5 months, indicating that PDGFRA may be involved in the early stages of SC development (Zhang X et al, 2015). miR-762 also played an important role in pig testis.…”