Article

Anim Biosci. 2025; 38(6): 1116-1139.

Published online February 27, 2025.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5713/ab.24.0816

Integrative and comparative analysis of whole-transcriptome sequencing in circCOL1A1-knockdown and circCOL1A1-overexpressing goat hair follicle stem cells

Jian Wang1,2 , Xi Wu1 , Liuming Zhang1 , Xiaomei Sun1 , Wei Sun1,2 , Kunzhe Dong3 , and Yongjun Li1,2
1Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics & Molecular Breeding of Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
2International Joint Research Laboratory in Universities of Jiangsu Province of China for Domestic Animal Germplasm Resources and Genetic Improvement, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
3Immunology Center of Georgia, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, USA
Corresponding Author: Email: liyj@yzu.edu.cn
Received November 20, 2024;    Accepted January 9, 2025.
Abstract
Objective
Hair morphogenesis is tightly related to hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs) proliferation and hair follicle (HF) development. Yangtze River Delta white goats (YRDWG) HFSCs are important for producing superior-quality brush hair (SQBH). Nonetheless, the known regulatory mechanisms are not sufficient to explain YRDWG gHFSCs growth, HF development, and SQBH formation.
Methods
To deeply investigate the interaction networks and mechanisms of circCOL1A1 in the HF development and SQBH formation of YRDWG in detail, we applied whole-transcriptome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis of circCOL1A1-knockdown and circCOL1A1-overexpressing HFSCs from YRDWG. STRING and other databases were used to construct multiple interaction networks. Differentially expressed (DE) genes, DE-miRNAs, and DE-circRNAs were further confirmed via real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Sanger sequencing.
Results
A total of 87 genes, 96 miRNAs, and 135 circRNAs were DE between circCOL1A1-knockdown and circCOL1A1-overexpressing gHFSCs. Functional enrichment, gene ontology annotation and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes analyses identified marked enrichment of these DE- genes, DE-miRNAs, and DE-circRNAs in the MAPK, PI3K/Akt, and focal adhesion signaling pathways, which are closely associated with gHFSCs growth and HF development. In addition, through interaction network construction, four important regulatory axes were obtained, namely, the chi-circCOL1A1-miR-149-5p-CMTM3-AR, chi-circACTN1- miR-671-5p-MAPK3/COL13A1, chi-circITGA6-miR-18a-5p-FGF1/MAP3K1 and chi-circ COBLL1-miR-30a-5p/miR-128-3p-ITGA6/MAPK14/FGF14 axes.
Conclusion
These novel findings provide a valuable and comprehensive basis for investigating the complex mechanism by which circRNAs participate in and regulate HF development and SQBH formation in YRDWG.
Keywords : CircCOL1A1; Differentially Expressed; gHFSCs; Regulatory Axis; Whole-Transcriptome Sequencing