Buffalo breeding has become an important branch of the beef cattle industry. Hence, it is of great significance to study buffalo meat production and meat quality. However, the expression profiles of mRNA and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) molecules in muscle stem cells (MuSCs) development in buffalo have not been explored fully. We, therefore, performed mRNA and lncRNA expression profiling analysis during the proliferation and differentiation phases of MuSCs in buffalo. The results showed that there were 4,820 differentially expressed genes as well as 12,227 mRNAs and 1,352 lncRNAs. These genes were shown to be enriched in essential biological processes such as cell cycle, p53 signaling pathway, RNA transport and calcium signaling pathway. We also identified a number of functionally important genes, such as MCMC4, SERDINE1, ISLR, LOC102394806, and LOC102403551, and found that interference with MYLPF expression significantly inhibited the differentiation of MuSCs. In conclusion, our research revealed the characteristics of mRNA and lncRNA expression during the differentiation of buffalo MuSCs. This study can be used as an important reference for the study of RNA regulation during muscle development in buffalo.
Myostatin (MSTN), also named growth differentiation factor 8 (GDF8), is a transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) family member with a key role in the negative regulation of skeletal muscle growth. However, its role in ovarian folliculogenesis remains unclear. To provide us with a basis for understanding this role, we cloned MSTN and examined its expression patterns in water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis). The complete ORF of the water buffalo MSTN gene is 1,128 nucleotides, which encode a 375 amino acid protein and sharing 99% identity at the deducted amino acid level with that of Bos taurus. Protein sequence analysis showed that MSTN is a weakly acerbic extracellular protein, consisting of signal peptides at 18-19 sites, a TGF-β propeptide, and a TGF-β domain. RT-PCR analyses demonstrated that water buffalo MSTN was expressed in multiple tissues but not limited to muscle. Immunohistochemistry staining confirmed the presence of MSTN in oocytes and granulosal cells. To our knowledge, this is the first study to confirm the expression of MSTN in the water buffalo ovary, suggesting an additional role of MSTN in water buffalo folliculogenesis, along with its role in skeletal muscle growth regulation. Further study of the regulatory mechanism of MSTN in water buffalo reproduction is warranted. Abbreviations: MSTN, myostatin; ORF, open reading frame.
Super‐enhancers (SEs) are critical epigenetic regulators of tissue regeneration, yet their interplay with cellular biomechanics during myogenic differentiation remains unexplored. Here, the TPM1 locus, encoding a core actin‐stabilizing protein essential for skeletal muscle regeneration, harbors an evolutionarily conserved SE (TPM1_SE) that may bridge epigenetic control and mechanotransduction. In vitro, TPM1_SE deletion impaired myogenic differentiation and diminished expression of both TPM1 and its circular RNA (circRNA) isoform, CircTPM1. Conditional deletion of TPM1_SE significantly reduce muscle mass and delayed regenerative progression. Mechanistically, TPM1_SE drives expression of linear TPM1 mRNA (mice) and CircTPM1 (bovine) via TEAD4‐mediated chromatin looping, coordinating cytoskeletal reorganization during myotube formation. These effects are mediated via activation of the canonical PI3K/AKT signaling pathway through interaction with NKX2.2 —a pathway mechanosensitive to cellular tension. Loss of TPM1_SE disrupted NKX2.2‐PI3K/AKT signaling. Crucially, CircTPM1 directly bound MYH10, enhancing MYL3‐dependent actomyosin assembly, which potentiates cytoskeletal reorganization during myotube formation. Collectively, this findings establish TPM1_SE as an evolutionarily conserved hub integrating epigenetic regulation and biomechanical output. While the murine model underscores its therapeutic potential in muscle regenerative medicine, the bovine CircTPM1‐mediated mechanism highlights TPM1_SE as a promising target for genetic improvement of meat quality in livestock.
Endometrial cancer is a malignant tumor that commonly occurs in the female reproductive system and its incidence is still increasing. The mechanism of the development of endometrial cancer has not yet been fully clarified, so we need to continuously study the relevant mechanisms of endometrial cancer and continue to explore its biomarkers in order to discover more precise and effective treatment methods for endometrial cancer. RT-qPCR (Real-Time quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction) experiments were used to detect the expression level of MMP23B (Matrix Metalloproteinase 23B) in endometrial cancer cells; the clinical data of the TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas) database were downloaded, and gene expression profiles were analyzed to investigate the correlation between MMP23B (Matrix Metalloproteinase 23B) and the survival prognosis of endometrial cancer, and functional enrichment analysis was performed on MMP23B (Matrix Metalloproteinase 23B) related genes. After silencing MMP23B (Matrix Metalloproteinase 23B), CCK8 (Cell Counting Kit-8), RT-qPCR (Real-Time quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction), scratch assay, and transwell assay were used to detect cell viability, levels of apoptotic factors, migration rate, and invasion number of endometrial cancer, respectively. MMP23B (Matrix Metalloproteinase 23B) was highly expressed in endometrial cancer, which is closely related to a poor survival prognosis for endometrial cancer, and may act on endometrial cancer through apoptosis-related functions. The downregulation of MMP23B (Matrix Metalloproteinase 23B) reduced the cell viability of endometrial cancer cells, upregulated the expression levels of CASP3 (Caspase-3), CASP8 (Caspase-8) and CASP9 (Caspase-9) in cells, and inhibited cell migration and invasion.