miR-23b-3p inhibits chicken granulosa cell proliferation and steroid hormone synthesis via targeting GDF9

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are ~22 nt RNAs that direct post-transcriptional repression of mRNA targets in diverse eukaryotic lineages. Granulosa cells (GCs) are the earliest differentiated follicular somatic cells. From the initiation of primordial follicles, their differentiation and growth are closely related to the development of follicles. The research on follicular development mostly focused on the granular layer, as well as the hormone synthesis induced by granulosa cell differentiation before and after follicular se-lection. In this study, we evaluated the effects of miR-23b-3p on chicken granulosa cells, including granulosa cell proliferation and steroid hormone synthesis. Elevated expression of miR-23b-3p signifi-cantly inhibited granulosa cell proliferation and steroid hormone synthesis, but did not affect apoptosis. Furthermore, it was observed that the forecast growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) is a target gene of miR-23b-3p and miR-23b-3p can down-regulate expression of GDF9. Overall, this study demonstrated that miR-23b-3p can regulate the proliferation and steroid hormone synthesis of chicken granulosa cells by inhibiting the expression of GDF9. (c) 2021 Published by Elsevier Inc.

Automated summary

miR-23b-3p plays a role in regulating the proliferation and steroid hormone synthesis of chicken granulosa cells by inhibiting the expression of GDF9. Elevated expression of miR-23b-3p significantly inhibits granulosa cell proliferation and steroid hormone synthesis without affecting apoptosis. It was found that GDF9 is a target gene of miR-23b-3p and miR-23b-3p can down-regulate its expression.