Effects of chronic hypoxia on the gene expression profile in the embryonic heart in three Chinese indigenous chicken breeds (Gallus gallus)

Abstract

Hypoxia exposure (HE) has adverse impacts on the embryonic development of chicken, whereas the mechanism underlying the response of the heart to HE during embryo development in birds is still unclear. Therefore, our study was designed to reveal the hub genes and the signaling pathways linked to chronic hypoxia stress. Thus, the gene expression microarray GSE12675, downloaded from the GEO database, included 12 embryonic heart samples in hypoxia and normoxia of three Chinese indigenous chicken breeds [Shouguang (SG), Tibetan (TB), and Dwarf Recessive White (DRW) chickens]. A total of 653 to 714 breed-specific differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected in each pairwise comparison. Gene ontology (GO) showed that the DEGs were mainly involved in biological processes, including vasoconstriction, cell differentiation, and the positive regulation of vasoconstriction. KEGG enrichment revealed that the DEGs were mainly enriched in MAPK, PPAR, insulin, adrenergic signaling in cardiomyocytes, etc. Moreover, 48 genes (e.g., SGCD, DHRS9, HELQ, MCMDC2, and ESCO2) might contribute to the response of the heart to HE. Taken together, the current study provides important clues for understanding the molecular mechanism of the heart's response to HE during the embryonic period of chicken.

Genetic characteristics and selection signatures between Southern Chinese local and commercial chickens

“…Furthermore, Crumbs Homolog 2 ( CRB2 ) has been linked to heat stress susceptibility in chickens ( Srikanth et al, 2019 ), while Caldesmon 1 ( CALD1 ) is involved in regulating vascular development and hypoxic adaptation in chickens ( Zhang et al, 2020 b). Additionally, Sarcoglycan Delta ( SGCD ) has been associated with the embryonic heart response to hypoxic exposure in chickens ( Li et al, 2022 ).…”

Genome-wide association study identifies genomic regions associated with key reproductive traits in Korean Hanwoo cows

“…HAND1, a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor, is involved in multiple organ systems during embryogenesis. SGCD gene sarcoglycan delta may contribute to the embryonic heart response in animals and is associated with autosomal recessive limb-girdle muscular dystrophy and dilated cardiomyopathy due to SGCD mutations [81]. Additionally, the PAX1 gene, a paired box 1 transcription factor, is important for the development of various tissues during embryogenesis [82], including the thymus [83,84], vertebral column [85], chondrogenic differentiation, and chondrocyte maturation [86].…”