LH promotes the proliferation of porcine primordial germ cell-like cells (pPGCLCs) by regulating the ceRNA network related to the TGF-β signaling pathway

• Published in: International journal of biological macromolecules Vol. 280; no. Pt 3; p. 135984
• Main Authors: Qiao, Zhan-Zhong, Zang, Ming-Xin, Zhang, Ying, Wang, Ping, Li, Xiao-Ya, Song, Xin, Zhang, Chun-Jie, Klinger, Francesca Gioia, Ge, Wei, Shen, Wei, Cheng, Shun-Feng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.11.2024
• Subjects: PGCLCs; Proliferation; LH; PGCLCs; Proliferation
• ISSN: 0141-8130; 1879-0003; 1879-0003
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.135984

Primordial germ cells (PGCs), as the precursors of gametes found in early embryos, provide a new direction for solving the problem of reproductive disorders. In vitro, conversion of adult stem cells (ASCs) into primordial germ cell-like cells (PGCLCs) is feasible. The means of increasing PGCLCs number in vitro has been a focus of recent stem cell research. In this study, we found that luteinizing hormone (LH) could promote porcine PGCLCs (pPGCLCs) proliferation. To investigate the proliferation regulatory network, whole transcriptome sequencing technology was employed. Results showed that the TGF-β signaling pathway played a key role. In addition, we found that TGFβR1 and SMAD4, TGF-β signaling pathway-related genes, were significantly upregulated after LH treatment. Subsequently, we predicted their target microRNAs (miRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs): ssc-miR-128, ssc-miR-146b, ssc-miR-361–3p, MSTRG.11473, MSTRG.11475, MSTRG.11553, and MSTRG.11554, and constructed the competitive endogenous RNAs (ceRNA) network. Finally, to further verify the ceRNA network, the miRNA-inhibitors were transfected into cells. RT-qPCR results indicated a significant increase in the expression of MSTRG.11473, MSTRG.11475, MSTRG.11553, MSTRG.11554, TGFβR1, and SMAD4 compared to the negative control (NC) group. In conclusion, these results highlight that LH could regulate the pPGCLCs proliferation by modulating the expression of TGF-β signaling pathway-related ncRNAs. •An induced differentiation model of pPGCLCs in vitro.•LH can promote the proliferation of pPGCLCs.•LH functions by regulating TGF-β signaling pathway related ceRNA network.