Emerging evidence suggests that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are critical regulators of diverse biological processes, including adipogenesis. Despite being considered an ideal animal model for studying adipogenesis, little is known about the roles of lncRNAs in the regulation of rabbit preadipocyte differentiation. In the present study, visceral preadipocytes isolated from newborn rabbits were cultured in vitro and induced for differentiation, and global lncRNA expression profiles of adipocytes collected at days 0, 3, and 9 of differentiation were analyzed by RNA-seq. A total of 2066 lncRNAs were identified from nine RNA-seq libraries. Compared to protein-coding transcripts, lncRNA transcripts exhibited characteristics of a longer length and lower expression level. Furthermore, 486 and 357 differentially expressed (DE) lncRNAs were identified when comparing day 3 vs. day 0 and day 9 vs. day 3, respectively. Target genes of DE lncRNAs were predicted by the cis-regulating approach. Prediction of functions revealed that DE lncRNAs when comparing day 3 vs. day 0 were involved in gene ontology (GO) terms of developmental growth, growth, developmental cell growth, and stem cell proliferation, and involved in Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways of PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, fatty acid biosynthesis, and the insulin signaling pathway. The DE lncRNAs when comparing day 9 vs. day 3 were involved in GO terms that associated with epigenetic modification and were involved in the KEGG pathway of cAMP signaling pathway. This study provides further insight into the regulatory function of lncRNAs in rabbit visceral adipose and facilitates a better understanding of different stages of preadipocyte differentiation.

中文翻译：

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全基因组识别和表征兔内脏前脂肪细胞分化过程中长非编码RNA。

新兴证据表明，长的非编码RNA（lncRNA）是包括脂肪生成在内的多种生物过程的关键调节剂。尽管被认为是研究脂肪生成的理想动物模型，但对于lncRNA在调节兔前脂肪细胞分化中的作用知之甚少。在本研究中，体外培养从新生兔分离的内脏前脂肪细胞并诱导其分化，并通过RNA-seq分析在分化的第0、3和9天收集的脂肪细胞的整体lncRNA表达谱。从9个RNA-seq文库中鉴定出总共2066个lncRNA。与蛋白质编码转录本相比，lncRNA转录本表现出更长的长度和更低的表达水平的特征。此外，当比较第3天与第0天以及第9天与第3天时，分别鉴定出486和357个差异表达（DE）lncRNA。DE lncRNAs的靶基因通过顺式调节方法。功能预测表明，第3天与第0天进行比较时，DE lncRNA参与了发育，生长，发育细胞生长和干细胞增殖的基因本体论（GO）术语，并参与了《京都基因与基因组百科全书》（KEGG）。 ）PI3K-Akt信号通路，脂肪酸生物合成和胰岛素信号通路。当比较第9天与第3天时，DE lncRNAs涉及与表观遗传修饰相关的GO术语，并且涉及cAMP信号传导途径的KEGG途径。这项研究提供了进一步的洞察力，lncRNAs在兔内脏脂肪中的调节功能，并有助于更好地了解脂肪细胞分化前的不同阶段。