Acta Veterinaria et Zootechnica Sinica ›› 2021, Vol. 52 ›› Issue (1): 19-27.doi: 10.11843/j.issn.0366-6964.2021.003

• ANIMAL GENETICS AND BREEDING • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Effect of Interaction between miR-186-5p and α-MSH on Melanogenesis in Sheep Melanocytes

XU Dongmei1, ZHU Zhiwei1, TANG Zhongwei1, LI Pengfei1, DONG Changsheng2*, ZHAO Yujun2*   

  1. 1. College of Life Sciences, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu 030801, China;
    2. College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu 030801, China
  • Received:2020-04-17 Online:2021-01-23 Published:2021-01-19

Abstract: Melanogenesis is regulated by many genes and miRNAs. This study aimed to explore the effect of interaction between miR-186-5p and α-MSH on melanogenesis in sheep melanocytes. The miR-186-5p expression vector was transfected into sheep melanocytes and α-MSH was also added to the cells at the same time. Expression patterns of associated genes(MITF, TYR, TYRP1, TYRP2) were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blotting. The expression and localization of MITF protein in sheep melanocytes were further detected by immunohistochemistry. The melanin contents and the migration capability of melanocytes were measured by spectrophotometry and scratch test, respectively. Three experiment groups were set up, containing miR-186-5p transfected group, miR-186-5p+α-MSH interaction group and negative control group, and there were 3 replicates in each group. The results showed that the expression of MITF, TYR, TYRP1 and TYRP2 were down-regulated, the production of melanin was inhibited in miR-186-5p transfected group, while the above effects of miR-186-5p were alleviated by adding α-MSH to the cells. In addition, miR-186-5p also could inhibit cell division and block cell migration, but α-MSH could not affect the negative effects of miR-186-5p. In summary, the results indicated that in sheep melanocytes, both miR-186-5p and α-MSH were involved in regulating melanogenesis.Between them, miR-186-5p mainly played a negative regulatory role, while α-MSH was involved in the positive regulation of related genes and relieved the inhibitory effect of miR-186-5p. It was worth noting that miR-186-5p played an important role in regulating cell proliferation and migration, while α-MSH did not participate in the related regulation.

Key words: miR-186-5p, sheep melanocytes, a-MSH, TYR gene family, melanogenesis

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