RNA sequencing-based identification of microRNAs in the antler cartilage of Gansu red deer (Cervus elaphus kansuensis)

Yanxia Chen; Zhenxiang Zhang; Jingjing Zhang; Xiaxia Chen; Yuqin Guo; Changzhong Li

doi:10.7717/peerj.13947

RNA sequencing-based identification of microRNAs in the antler cartilage of Gansu red deer (Cervus elaphus kansuensis)

PeerJ. 2022 Sep 21:10:e13947. doi: 10.7717/peerj.13947. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Yanxia Chen^#¹, Zhenxiang Zhang^#², Jingjing Zhang³, Xiaxia Chen³, Yuqin Guo⁴, Changzhong Li¹

Affiliations

¹ College of Eco-Environmental Engineering, Qinghai University, Xining, Qinghai, China.
² Academy of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Qinghai University, Xining, Qinghai, China.
³ School of Life Sciences and Engineering, Hexi University, Zhangye, Gansu, China.
⁴ Research Monitoring and Evaluation Center of Qinghai National Park, Xining, Qinghai, China.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Background: The velvet antler is a complex mammalian bone organ with unique biological characteristics, such as regeneration. The rapid growth stage (RGS) is a special period in the regeneration process of velvet antler.

Methods: To elucidate the functions of microRNAs (miRNAs) at the RGS of antler development in Gansu red deer (Cervus elaphus kansuensis), we used RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to analyze miRNA expression profiles in cartilage tissues of deer antler tips at three different growth stages.

Results: The RNA-seq results revealed 1,073 known and 204 novel miRNAs, including 1,207, 1,242, and 1,204 from 30-, 60-, and 90-d antler cartilage tissues, respectively. To identify key miRNAs controlling rapid antler growth, we predicted target genes of screened 25 differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) and specifically expressed miRNAs (SEMs) in 60 d and annotated their functions. The KEGG results revealed that target genes of 25 DEMs and 30 SEMs were highly classified in the "Metabolic pathways", "Pathways in cancer", "Proteoglycans in cancer" and "PI3K-Akt signaling pathway". In addition, a novel miRNA (CM008039.1_315920), highly enriched in "NF-kappa B signaling pathway", may need further study.

Conclusions: The miRNAs identified in our study are potentially important in rapid antler growth. Our findings provide new insights to help elucidate the miRNA-mediated regulatory mechanisms involved during velvet antler development in C. elaphus kansuensis.

Keywords: Cervus elaphus kansuensis; Gansu red deer; Rapid growth; Velvet antler; microRNAs.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Antlers*
Cartilage
Deer* / genetics
MicroRNAs* / genetics
Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / metabolism

Substances

Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases
MicroRNAs

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Doctoral Scientific Research Start-up Foundation of Qinghai University. The funders had a role in project administration, funding acquisition, methodology, conceptualization, formal analysis, investigation, data curation, writing and editing the manuscript.