In nonruminants it has been demonstrated that microRNA-24 (miR-24) is involved in preadipocyte differentiation, hepatic lipid, and plasma triacylglycerol synthesis. However, its role in ruminant mammary gland remains unclear. In this study we measured miR-24 expression in goat mammary gland tissue at 4 different stages of lactation and observed that it had highest expression at peak lactation when compared with the dry period. Overexpression or downregulation of miR-24 in goat mammary epithelial cells (GMEC) strongly affected fatty acid profiles; in particular, miR-24 enhanced unsaturated fatty acid concentration. Additional effects of miR-24 included changes in triacylglycerol content and the expression of fatty acid synthase, sterol regulatory element binding transcription protein 1, stearoyl-CoA desaturase, glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase mitochondrial, and acetyl-CoA carboxylase. Luciferase reporter assay confirmed that fatty acid synthase is a target of miR-24. Taken together, these results not only highlight the physiological importance of miR-24 in fatty acid metabolism in GMEC, but also laid the foundation for further research on regulatory mechanisms among miR-24 and other microRNA expressed in GMEC.
Keywords: fatty acid synthase; microRNA-24; milk fat metabolism.
Copyright © 2015 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.