The number of Sertoli cells in the testis is a major regulator on the sperm production capacity. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) participate in regulating the proliferation and apoptosis of porcine immature Sertoli cells. However, the functions and mechanisms of action of most identified miRNAs in porcine Sertoli cells remain largely unknown. In the present study, based on our previous results from an EdU-based high-content screening assay, we further studied the mechanism of action of miR-191 on the proliferation and apoptosis of porcine immature Sertoli cells through flow cytometry, Western blotting, and dual-luciferase activity analyses. The results demonstrated that overexpression of miR-191 promoted cell cycle progression from G1 phase to the S and G2 phases, enhanced cell proliferation, and inhibited apoptosis in the porcine immature Sertoli cells, whereasmiR-191 inhibition resulted in the opposite effects. The results from a luciferase reporter assay showed that miR-191 directly targeted the 3'-UTR of theBDNF gene. BDNF knockdown also promoted cell cycle progression to the S phase, cell proliferation and inhibited cell apoptosis, which were consistent with the effects of the miR-191overexpression. A co-transfection experiment showed that BDNF knockdown abolished the effects of miR-191 inhibition. Furthermore, both miR-191 overexpression and BDNFinhibition elevated the phosphorylation of PI3K and AKT, the key components of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, whereas BDNFinhibition offset the effects of the miR-191 knockdown. Overall, these data indicated that miR-191 promotes cell proliferation and inhibits apoptosis in porcine immature Sertoli cells by targeting theBDNF gene through activating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. This study provides a novel scientific basis for further investigation on the biological functions of miR-191 on porcine spermatogenesis.
睾丸支持细胞数量是影响精子生成能力的主要因素之一,microRNA (miRNA)参与调控猪未成熟支持细胞的发育过程,然而,大多数被鉴定出的miRNA对支持细胞的作用及其机制尚不明确。基于本课题组前期高内涵筛选结果,本文进一步通过流式细胞术、蛋白免疫印迹和双荧光素酶报告基因等方法,研究了miR-191调控猪未成熟支持细胞增殖和凋亡的作用机理。结果表明：过表达miR-191显著促进细胞周期由G1期进入S期和G2期,细胞增殖能力显著增强,细胞凋亡率显著降低;而抑制表达miR-191则与之相反。双荧光素酶报告基因系统验证miR-191直接靶向BDNF基因3′-UTR。抑制表达BDNF基因促进细胞周期进入S期,并促进细胞增殖而抑制细胞凋亡,与过表达miR-191的作用一致。共转染试验结果显示,BDNF基因可以拮抗miR-191对细胞增殖和凋亡的调控作用。此外,过表达miR-191和抑制表达BDNF基因均可显著促进PI3K/AKT信号通路中关键蛋白PI3K和AKT的磷酸化水平,且BDNF基因同样拮抗miR-191对PI3K和AKT蛋白的调控作用。本研究结果证实miR-191靶向BDNF基因,通过激活PI3K/AKT信号通路促进猪未成熟支持细胞增殖且抑制其凋亡,为进一步解析miR-191调控猪精子生成的生物学功能提供了理论基础。.
Keywords: BDNF gene; PI3K/AKT signaling pathway; miR-191; porcine Sertoli cells; proliferation.