Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small endogenous RNAs that regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally by targeting either the 3′ untranslated or coding regions of genes. They have been reported to play key roles in a wide range of biological processes. The recent remarkable developments of transcriptomics technologies, especially next-generation sequencing technologies and advanced bioinformatics tools, allow more in-depth exploration of messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), including miRNAs. These technologies have offered great opportunities for a deeper exploration of miRNA involvement in farm animal diseases, as well as livestock productivity and welfare. In this review, we provide an overview of the current knowledge of miRNA roles in major farm animal diseases with a particular focus on diseases of economic importance. In addition, we discuss the steps and future perspectives of using miRNAs as biomarkers and molecular therapy for livestock disease management as well as the challenges and opportunities for understanding the regulatory mechanisms of miRNAs related to disease pathogenesis.
Highlights
MicroRNAs, defined as short non-coding RNA molecules of about 22 nucleotides in length, regulate a variety of biological processes through the posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression
In a study examining the miRNA-mediated control of avian leukosis virus subgroup J (ALV-J) infection, Li et al [139] proposed that seven upregulated miRNAs identified in the liver of 10-week-old chickens infected with Avian leukosis virus (ALV)-J might play a tumorigenic role, whereas five down regulated miRNAs
The functions of miRNAs have been reported for several small ruminant diseases, such as Cystic echinococcosis infection [189], an epithelial tumor induced in goats and sheep by enzootic nasal tumor virus (ENTV) [190], bluetongue virus [191], Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) infection [192], and prion disease [193]
Summary
MicroRNAs (miRNAs), defined as short non-coding RNA (ncRNA) molecules of about 22 nucleotides in length, regulate a variety of biological processes through the posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression. The potential roles of miRNAs in farm animal diseases have been summarized in several reviews [24,25,26,27,28,29] These reviews, only provided an overview of the changes in miRNA expression profiles during disease progression. 2. miRNA Biomarker Development and Potential Therapeutic Application in Livestock Production. The potential application of miRNAs as biomarkers in livestock improvement is further strengthened by a plethora of recent reports, summarized in section three below, that have reported differential response patterns of miRNAs to different livestock diseases. Successfully developed miRNA biomarkers might serve as new tools that could enhance current methods or lead to the development of new methods or therapies for managing farm animal diseases. We present the most recent findings and focus on the most important economic diseases of livestock
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