microRNA-122 targets the P4HA1 mRNA and regulates its expression in chicken hepatocytes

Abstract

microRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that regulate various biological processes by targeting mRNAs and affecting their stability or translation. miR-122 is a major miRNA in mammalian liver but its function in poultry liver has not been studied. Therefore, the objective of the current study was to determine the function of miR-122 in the chicken liver. Through bioinformatics, we found P4HA1 was a candidate target of miR-122. P4HA1 mRNA and protein expression were increased in hepatocytes when miR-122 was knocked down by locked nucleic acid (LNA)-antisense-miR-122 (LNA-122). Reporter gene analyses confirmed that P4HA1 was a target of miR-122. Because P4HA1 is known to play an important role in liver metabolism, these findings suggest that miR-122 may be involved in liver metabolism in the chicken by regulating the P4HA1 expression.Highlights The predicted target site of miR-122 in chicken P4HA1 is conserved among species. P4HA1 mRNA and protein are upregulated in miR-122 knockdown chicken hepatocytes. miR-122 targets P4HA1 in chicken.

Keywords

• microrna-122
• p4ha1
• chicken
• hepatocytes
• liver metabolism