Integrated analysis of miRNA and mRNA expression profiles in testes of Duroc and Meishan boars

Abstract

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.

Non-Coding RNAs: lncRNAs, miRNAs, and piRNAs in Sexual Development

“…Many expression profiling studies indicate that miRNAs play essential roles in gonadal development. These include specific testis and ovary miRNA signatures and differential expression analyses at key stages of gonad development performed in a variety of mammalian species, including mouse [Ro et al, 2007;Yan et al, 2007;Mishima et al, 2008;Song et al, 2009;Buchold et al, 2010], sheep [Torley et al, 2011;Bai et al, 2019], pig [Lian et al, 2012;Ran et al, 2015;Ding et al, 2020], human [Yang et al, 2013], and dog [Kasimanickam and Kasimanickam, 2015]. Here, we will focus exclusively on mammalian gonadal sex determination and differentiation, and no discussion on the roles of miRNAs in either the function of the adult mammalian testis or the mechanisms of sex determination in non-mammalian species will be included.…”