The circERBB3/chi-miR-181b-5p/TNFSF11 axis regulates proliferation, migration, and apoptosis in cashmere goat embryonic fibroblasts

Inner Mongolia cashmere goat is an excellent local variety of both cashmere and meat. Its cashmere is delicate and soft and has high economic value. The morphogenesis and development of hair follicles directly affect the wool yield and quality of cashmere goats. Circular RNAs are endogenous, non-coding RNAs found in eukaryotic genomes that are involved in a variety of physiological and pathological processes. However, the potential function of circRNA in the development of embryonic skin hair follicles in cashmere goats remains unknown.

In this study, we identified a novel circular RNA, circERBB3, isolated fibroblasts from cashmere goat embryonic skin tissue, and investigated its role in fibroblast proliferation, apoptosis, and migration. The interaction between circERBB3, chi-miR-181b-5p, and TNFSF11 was detected by bioinformatics, real-time quantitative PCR, and the dual luciferase reporter gene system. Mechanistically, we demonstrated the functional significance of circERBB3 by interfering with circERBB3 in fibroblasts. At the molecular and cellular levels, co-transfection tests confirmed that circERBB3 negatively regulated fibroblast proliferation, apoptosis, and migration in a chi-miR-181b-5p-dependent manner. Chi-miR-181b-5p can regulate the proliferation, apoptosis, and migration of fibroblasts by targeting TNFSF11.

As a competitive endogenous RNA, circERBB3 binds to chi-miR-181b-5p and alleviates the inhibition of its target gene, TNFSF11, to regulate the proliferation, apoptosis, and migration of embryonic fibroblasts in cashmere goats. A new regulatory pathway regulating the development of hair follicles was revealed.