MiR-1246 is upregulated and regulates lung cell apoptosis during heat stress in feedlot cattle

Globally, heat stress seriously threatens productivity of cattle. The objective of this study was to identify novel miRNAs that regulated heat stress in feedlot cattle. Experiment was conducted under heat stress and normal conditions. With profiling miRNAs of each feedlot cattle, our results showed the level of miR-1246 was significantly increased in these heat-stressed cattle (P < 0.05). Furthermore, by using bioinformatics analysis and luciferase reporter assays combined with qPCR and western blot, we found miR-1246 negatively regulated poly (C) binding protein 2 (PCBP2) and cAMP response element binding protein-like 2 (CREBL2) mRNA and protein levels through binding to the 3'-UTR region (P < 0.05); further, it inhibited heat-induced apoptosis in lung cells. Finally, our results suggested that miR-1246 plays an important role in heat stress and it has the potential to be a novel modulation factor for heat stress in feedlot cattle.