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circRNA-Mediated Inhibin–Activin Balance Regulation in Ovarian Granulosa Cell Apoptosis and Follicular Atresia

Authors :
Zengxiang Pan
Huiming Wang
Mengnan Ma
Jinbi Zhang
Yi Zhang
Jingge Liu
Source :
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Volume 22, Issue 17, International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Vol 22, Iss 9113, p 9113 (2021)
Publication Year :
2021
Publisher :
Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, 2021.

Abstract

Ovarian granulosa cells (GC) play an essential role in the development and atresia of follicles. Emerging studies suggest that non-coding RNAs are involved in the regulation of GC apoptosis. Here, we aimed to analyze the function of ssc-circINHA-001, coded by the first exon of the inhibin subunit α gene (INHA), in resisting GC apoptosis and follicular atresia by enhancing the expression of the inhibin subunit β A (INHBA) through a cluster of miRNAs. A higher expression of ssc-circINHA-001 in healthy follicles compared to early atretic follicles was detected by qRT-PCR. Its circular structure was confirmed by RNase R treatment and reversed PCR. The function of ssc-circINHA-001 in GC resistance to apoptosis was detected by in vitro transfection of its si-RNA. Furthermore, the dual-luciferase reporter assay suggested that ssc-circINHA-001 adsorbed three miRNAs, termed miR-214-5p, miR-7144-3p, and miR-9830-5p, which share the common target INHBA. A low expression of ssc-circINHA-001 increased the levels of the free miRNAs, inhibited INHBA expression, and thus raised GCs apoptosis through a shift from the secretion of activin to that of inhibin. Our study demonstrated the existence of a circRNA–microRNAs–INHBA regulatory axis in follicular GC apoptosis and provides insight into the relationship between circRNA function and its coding gene in inhibin/activin balance and ovarian physiological functions.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
14220067
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
Accession number :
edsair.doi.dedup.....41b219327b069d2b830ed0c48c8e250b
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22179113