CircRNA-0100 positively regulates the differentiation of cashmere goat SHF-SCs into hair follicle lineage via sequestering miR-153-3p to heighten the KLF5 expression

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have stable structures, being a covalently closed loop without 5 ' and 3 ' free ends. They can function as miRNA sponges in regulating the expression of their target genes. It was thought that circRNAs are involved in the development of the secondary hair follicle (SHF) in cashmere goats. In our previous investigation, a new circRNA named circRNA-0100 was identified from the SHF of cashmere goats, but its function is unknown. In this work, we found that circRNA-0100 exhibited significantly higher expression at anagen SHF bulge than its counterpart at telogen in cashmere goats. Based on the use of both overexpression and siRNA interference assays, our data indicated that circRNA-0100 promoted the differentiation of cashmere goat SHF stem cells (SHF-SCs) into hair follicle lineage, which was evaluated by analyzing the transcriptional level changes of six indicator genes in SHF-SCs of cashmere goats. Using the RNA pull-down technique, we showed that circRNA-0100 served as molecular sponges of miR-153-3p in SHF-SCs. Through the use of dual-luciferase reporter assays, our data indicated that circRNA-0100 positively regulated the transcriptional expression of the KLF5 gene via the miR-153-3p-mediated pathway. Ultimately, we showed that circRNA-0100 promoted the differentiation of SHF-SCs into hair lineage, which might be achieved via sequestering miR-153-3p to heighten the KLF5 expression in SHF-SCs of cashmere goats. Our results provide novel scientific evidence for revealing the potential molecular regulatory mechanisms on the differentiation of SHF-SCs into hair lineage in cashmere goats.

Automated summary

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are stable RNA molecules that can function as miRNA sponges to regulate gene expression. In this study, we found that circRNA-0100 was highly expressed in the hair follicle bulge of cashmere goats and promoted the differentiation of SHF stem cells into hair lineage. Our results demonstrated that circRNA-0100 sequesters miR-153-3p to enhance KLF5 expression, thereby promoting the differentiation of SHF stem cells into hair lineage in cashmere goats. This study provides novel scientific evidence for understanding the molecular regulatory mechanisms involved in the differentiation of SHF stem cells into hair lineage in cashmere goats.