CircMEF2C(2, 3) modulates proliferation and adipogenesis of porcine intramuscular preadipocytes by miR-383/671-3p/ MEF2C axis

Xiaoyin Rong; Ruixiao Li; Tianye Gong; Haonan Li; Xiaolei Zhao; Guoqing Cao; Meng Li; Bugao Li; Yang Yang; Xiaohong Guo

doi:10.1016/j.isci.2024.109710

CircMEF2C(2, 3) modulates proliferation and adipogenesis of porcine intramuscular preadipocytes by miR-383/671-3p/ MEF2C axis

iScience. 2024 Apr 10;27(5):109710. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109710. eCollection 2024 May 17.

Authors

Xiaoyin Rong^{1

2}, Ruixiao Li^{1

2}, Tianye Gong^{1

2}, Haonan Li^{1

2}, Xiaolei Zhao^{1

2}, Guoqing Cao^{1

2}, Meng Li^{1

2}, Bugao Li^{1

2}, Yang Yang^{1

2}, Xiaohong Guo^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ College of Animal Science, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong 030801, P.R. China.
² Key Laboratory of Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Breeding of Shanxi Province, Jinzhong 030801, P.R. China.

Abstract

Circular RNA is a special category of non-coding RNA that has emerged as epigenetic regulator of adipose tissue development. However, the mechanism governing intramuscular adipogenesis of circRNA remains largely uncharted. In this study, circMEF2C(2, 3), looped by MEF2C exons 2 and 3, was identified from the pig MEF2C gene. Expression of circMEF2C(2, 3) is upregulated in early stage of intramuscular adipogenesis and muscular tissue of lean pigs (DLY pig). Subsequently, overexpression or knockdown of circMEF2C(2, 3) reflected that it participates in promoting proliferation and inhibiting adipogenic differentiation in porcine intramuscular preadipocytes and murine C3H10T1/2 cells. Mechanically, circMEF2C(2, 3) competitively combined with miR-383 and miR-671-3p to the 3'-UTR of MEF2C, which maintains MEF2C expression in regulating proliferation and adipogenesis. In summary, circMEF2C(2, 3) is a key regulator in the proliferation and adipogenic differentiation of intramuscular adipogenesis, suggesting its potential as a multi-target strategy for adipose development and associated diseases.

Keywords: Biochemistry; Biological sciences; Cell biology; Molecular biology.