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BackgroundPlatelet‐derived growth factor BB, a potent mitogen of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs), has been implicated in pulmonary arterial remodeling, which is a key pathogenic feature of pulmonary arterial hypertension. Previous microRNA profiling in platelet‐derived growth factor BB–treated PASMCs found a significantly downregulated microRNA, miR‐1281, but it has not been associated with any cellular function, and we investigated the possibility.Methods and ResultsReal‐time quantitative reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction assay proved that downregulation of miR‐1281 was a conserved phenomenon in human and rat PASMCs. Overexpression and inhibition of miR‐1281 in PASMCs promoted and suppressed, respectively, the cell proliferation and migration. Bioinformatic prediction and 3′‐untranslated region reporter assay identified histone deacetylase 4 to be a direct target of miR‐1281. Supporting this, proliferation and migration assay demonstrated the cellular function of histone deacetylase 4 is inversely correlated with that of miR‐1281. Mechanistically, it is found that platelet‐derived growth factor BB activates the phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase pathway, which then induces the expression of DNA methyltransferase 1, leading to enhanced methylation of a flanking CpG island and repressed miR‐1281 expression. Finally, a reduced miR‐1281 level was consistently identified in hypoxic PASMCs in vitro, in pulmonary arteries of rats with monocrotaline‐induced pulmonary arterial hypertension, and in serum of patients with coronary heart disease–pulmonary arterial hypertension. These data suggest that there may be a diagnostic and therapeutic use for miR‐1281.ConclusionsHerein, we report a novel regulatory axis, phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase–DNA methyltransferase 1–miR‐1281–histone deacetylase 4, integrating multiple epigenetic regulators that participate in platelet‐derived growth factor BB–stimulated PASMC proliferation and migration and pulmonary vascular remodeling.

ABSTRACT. Geese are an economically important poultry species worldwide. Their superior meat production performance and meat quality make them a popular food. However, they are not bred worldwide because their poor laying capacity increases farming costs. To gain a global view of the genes that are differentially expressed between prelaying (P) and laying (L) periods and to develop a database for further studies, we performed large-scale transcriptome sequencing of ovarian tissue collected from Anser cygnoides. In total, 30,151,422 raw reads, with an average length of 151 bp and a total length of 4,552,864,722 bp, were obtained. After primers and adaptors were removed, 19,167,132 clean reads, with an average length of 134.5 bp and a total length of 2,577,297,281 bp, were obtained, among which 1,268,906,694 bp and 1,308,390,587 bp were from L and P ovarian tissue, respectively. The 16,605 assembled sequences were further functionally annotated by comparing their sequences to different protein and functional domain databases and assigning gene ontology (GO) terms. Of these, 511 assembled sequences were considered differentially expressed based on the 2-fold method, among which 396 were assigned at least one GO term. Digital expression analysis using the Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes annotation identified 121 genes that were differentially expressed in the P vs L periods. Five of these are of special interest for further investigation of their roles in determining high reproductive performance. This study provides valuable information and sequence resources for uncovering genes determining high egg-laying performance and for future functional genomics analysis of geese.

Obesity prevalence became a severe global health problem and it is caused by an imbalance between energy intake and expenditure. Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is a major site of mammalian non-shivering thermogenesis or energy dissipation. Thus, modulation of BAT thermogenesis might be a promising application for body weight control and obesity prevention. TRP channels are non-selective calcium-permeable cation channels mainly located on the plasma membrane. As a research focus, TRP channels have been reported to be involved in the thermogenesis of adipose tissue, energy metabolism and body weight regulation. In this review, we will summarize and update the recent progress of the pathological/physiological involvement of TRP channels in adipocyte thermogenesis. Moreover, we will discuss the potential of TRP channels as future therapeutic targets for preventing and combating human obesity and related-metabolic disorders.