Abstract
Mammalian hibernation is associated with multiple physiological, biochemical, and molecular changes that allow animals to endure colder temperatures. We hypothesize that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), a group of non-coding transcripts with diverse functions, are differentially expressed during hibernation. In this study, expression levels of lncRNAsH19 and TUG1 were assessed via qRT-PCR in liver, heart, and skeletal muscle tissues of the hibernating thirteen-lined ground squirrels (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus). TUG1 transcript levels were significantly elevated 1.94-fold in skeletal muscle of hibernating animals when compared with euthermic animals. Furthermore, transcript levels of HSF2 also increased 2.44-fold in the skeletal muscle in hibernating animals. HSF2 encodes a transcription factor that can be negatively regulated by TUG1 levels and that influences heat shock protein expression. Thus, these observations support the differential expression of the TUG1–HSF2 axis during hibernation. To our knowledge, this study provides the first evidence for differential expression of lncRNAs in torpid ground squirrels, adding lncRNAs as another group of transcripts modulated in this mammalian species during hibernation.
Highlights
Many small mammals undergo hibernation when confronted with unfavorable environmental conditions such as cold temperatures
Since long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in regulating crucial processes impacted during mammalian hibernation, the current study was conducted to evaluate the expression of two lncRNAs, H19 and taurine up-regulated gene 1 (TUG1), in liver, heart, and skeletal muscle tissues of the hibernating thirteen-lined ground squirrels (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus)
We report up-regulation of lncRNA TUG1 levels in the skeletal muscle of hibernating thirteenlined ground squirrels and discuss the potential significance of this modulation in mammalian hibernation
Summary
Many small mammals undergo hibernation when confronted with unfavorable environmental conditions such as cold temperatures. Regulation of ATP-consuming processes such as gene transcription and protein translation is a common theme observed in mammalian hibernation [6,7,8]. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Genetics Society of China Differential expression of lncRNAs have been reported in a variety of conditions and processes relevant to hibernation including fasting and lipid metabolism [16,17]. Since lncRNAs are involved in regulating crucial processes impacted during mammalian hibernation, the current study was conducted to evaluate the expression of two lncRNAs, H19 and taurine up-regulated gene 1 (TUG1), in liver, heart, and skeletal muscle tissues of the hibernating thirteen-lined ground squirrels (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus). We report up-regulation of lncRNA TUG1 levels in the skeletal muscle of hibernating thirteenlined ground squirrels and discuss the potential significance of this modulation in mammalian hibernation
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