CircBTBD7 inhibits adipogenesis via the miR-183/SMAD4 axis

Area of Science:

• Molecular Biology
• Cell Biology
• Animal Science

Background:

• Adipogenesis regulation by circular RNAs (circRNAs) is not fully understood.
• circRNAs play crucial roles in various biological processes.
• Investigating novel circRNAs in bovine adipogenesis is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and characterize novel circRNAs involved in bovine adipogenesis.
• To elucidate the regulatory mechanism of circBTBD7 in adipocyte differentiation.
• To explore the molecular pathway influenced by circBTBD7.

Main Methods:

• Identification and expression analysis of circRNAs in bovine adipose tissue and differentiating adipocytes.
• Knockdown experiments using siRNA to assess circBTBD7 function.
• Quantitative real-time PCR and Western blotting to measure gene and protein expression.
• Dual-luciferase reporter assays to confirm direct interactions between circRNA and miRNA.
• Rescue experiments to validate the regulatory axis.

Main Results:

• A novel circRNA, circBTBD7, was identified and found to be highly expressed in bovine adipose tissue and during adipocyte differentiation.
• Knockdown of circBTBD7 significantly increased lipid droplet accumulation and upregulated key adipogenic and lipogenic genes (PPARγ, C/EBPα, FABP4, FASN, ACCα).
• circBTBD7 acts as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) by sponging miR-183, thereby relieving the inhibition of SMAD4 and consequently inhibiting adipogenesis.

Conclusions:

• circBTBD7 plays an inhibitory role in bovine adipogenesis.
• The mechanism involves circBTBD7 acting as a ceRNA for miR-183, which targets SMAD4.
• This circRNA-miRNA-mRNA axis (circBTBD7/miR-183/SMAD4) provides a novel regulatory pathway for adipogenesis.