Integrated transcriptomic analysis on chicken ovary reveals CYP21A1 affects follicle granulosa cell development and steroid hormone synthesis

Zhangjing You; Jingwei Yuan; Yuanmei Wang; Yanyan Sun; Aixin Ni; Yunlei Li; Hui Ma; Tenghe Ma; Jilan Chen

Poultry Science (May 2024)

Integrated transcriptomic analysis on chicken ovary reveals CYP21A1 affects follicle granulosa cell development and steroid hormone synthesis

Zhangjing You,
Jingwei Yuan,
Yuanmei Wang,
Yanyan Sun,
Aixin Ni,
Yunlei Li,
Hui Ma,
Tenghe Ma,
Jilan Chen

Affiliations

Zhangjing You: State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China; College of Life Sciences and Food Engineering, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan, 056038, Hebei, China
Jingwei Yuan: State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
Yuanmei Wang: State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China; Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Disease Control and Prevention, College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, 271018 China
Yanyan Sun: State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
Aixin Ni: State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
Yunlei Li: State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
Hui Ma: State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
Tenghe Ma: College of Life Sciences and Food Engineering, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan, 056038, Hebei, China
Jilan Chen: State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China; Corresponding author:

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 103, no. 5
p. 103589

Abstract

Read online

ABSTRACT: Egg production is an economically important trait in poultry breeding and production. Follicular development was regulated by several hormones released and genes expressed in the granulosa cells, impacting the egg production and fecundity of hens. However, the molecular functions of these candidate genes that modulate these processes remain largely unknown. In the present study, bioinformatics analyses were performed to identify the candidate genes related to egg production in the ovarian tissue of White Leghorns with high egg production and Beijing You chicken with low egg production during sexual maturity and peak laying periods. The ovarian granulosa cells were used to assess the function of CYP21A1 by transfecting with CYP21A1-specific small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and overexpression plasmids. We identified 514 differentially expressed genes (|Log2(fold change) | >1, P <0.05) between the 2 chicken breeds in both laying periods. Among these genes, CYP21A1, which is involved in the steroid hormone biosynthesis pathway was consistently upregulated in White Leghorns. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) further suggested that CYP21A1 was a hub gene, which could positively respond to treatment with follicle stimulation hormone (FSH), affecting egg production. The interference of CYP21A1 significantly inhibited cell proliferation and promoted cell apoptosis. Overexpression of CYP21A1 promotes cell proliferation and inhibits cell apoptosis. Furthermore, the interference with CYP21A1 significantly downregulated the expression of STAR, CYP11A1, HSD3B1, and FSHR and also decreased the synthesis of progesterone (P4) and estradiol (E2) in granulosa cells. Overexpression of CYP21A1 increased the synthesis of P4 and estradiol E2 and the expression of steroid hormone synthesis-related genes in granulosa cells. Our findings provide new evidence for the biological role of CYP21A1 on granulosa cell proliferation, apoptosis, and steroid hormone synthesis, which lays the theoretical basis for improving egg production.

Published in Poultry Science

ISSN: 0032-5791 (Print); 1525-3171 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Agriculture: Animal culture
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/poultry-science

About the journal

Abstract

Keywords