Transcript Patterns of Bovine CYP21A2 and Its Pseudogene in Adrenal and Ovarian Tissues

The cytochrome P450 family 21 subfamily A member 2 gene (CYP21A2) encodes 21-hydroxylase, a key enzyme in adrenal steroid biosynthesis. Despite its physiological importance, the diversity of CYP21A2 transcript variants and their tissue-specific expression in domestic animals, including cattle, remains largely unexplored. This study aimed to characterize CYP21A2 transcription in adrenal glands and ovaries and assess the potential transcriptional activity of its pseudogene, CYP21A1P.

CYP21A2 transcription was investigated in adrenal and ovarian tissues of 12 healthy cows using semi-quantitative PCR and Sanger sequencing. Real-time PCR was performed to confirm expression levels. Melting curve analysis and electrophoresis were used to validate distinct amplicons corresponding to different transcript variants. Extended amplicons were sequenced to identify transcripts corresponding to reference sequences and potential pseudogene products.

A single transcript variant (NM_001013596.1) was consistently detected in adrenal glands, whereas ovaries expressed two variants: NM_001013596.1 and XM_024983378.2. Semi-quantitative analysis showed significantly higher CYP21A2 expression in adrenal glands compared to ovaries (p < 0.01). In ovarian samples, the NM_001013596.1 variant was more abundant than the XM_024983378.2 (p < 0.01). Sanger sequencing revealed two products matching CYP21A2 reference transcripts and an additional, longer product containing sequence motifs specific to the pseudogene CYP21A1P, indicating its transcriptional activity.

These results provide the first evidence of tissue-specific expression and differential abundance of CYP21A2 transcript variants in cattle and suggest the transcription of the CYP21A1P pseudogene. The findings reveal the complexity of CYP21A2 expression in steroidogenic tissues and suggest potential regulatory roles for transcript and pseudogene variants in bovine physiology.