A comprehensive transcriptomic view on the role of SMAD4 gene by RNAi-mediated knockdown in porcine follicular granulosa cells

作者：Zhang, Lifan; Du, Xing; Wei, Shengjuan; Li, Dongfeng; Li, Qifa^*

来源：Reproduction, 2016, 152(1): 81-89.

DOI：10.1530/REP-16-0034

• BETA BINDING-PROTEINS
• GROWTH-FACTOR-BETA
• EXPRESSION
• DEFECTS
• CYCLINS
• PROLIFERATION
• REGULATORS
• FOLLICLES
• KNOCKOUT
• CDKS

As a key mediator of the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) signaling pathway, which plays a pivotal role in regulating mammalian reproductive performance, Sma-and Mad-related protein 4 (SMAD4) is closely associated with the development of ovarian follicular. However, current knowledge of the genome-wide view on the role of SMAD4 gene in mammalian follicular granulosa cells (GCs) is still largely unknown. In the present study, RNA-Seq was performed to investigate the effects of SMAD4 knockdown by RNA interference (SMAD4-siRNA) in porcine follicular GCs. A total of 1025 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), including 530 upregulated genes and 495 downregulated genes, were identified in SMAD4-siRNA treated GCs compared with that treated with NC-siRNA. Furthermore, functional enrichment analysis indicated that upregulated DEGs in SMAD4-siRNA treated cells were mainly enriched in cell-cycle related processes, interferon signaling pathway, and immune system process, while downregulated DEGs in SMAD4-siRNA treated cells were mainly involved in extracellular matrix organization/disassembly, pathogenesis, and cell adhesion. In particular, cell cycle and TGF-beta signaling pathway were discovered as the canonical pathways changed under SMAD4-silencing. Taken together, our data reveals SMAD4 knockdown alters the expression of numerous genes involved in key biological processes of the development of follicular GCs and provides a novel global clue of the role of SMAD4 gene in porcine follicular GCs, thus improving our understanding of regulatory mechanisms of SMAD4 gene in follicular development.

• 出版日期2016-7
• 单位南京农业大学