# Integrative and comparative analysis of whole-transcriptome sequencing in circCOL1A1-knockdown and circCOL1A1-overexpressing goat hair follicle stem cells

## TL;DR

This study explores how circCOL1A1 affects hair follicle stem cells and hair quality in Yangtze River Delta white goats using transcriptome sequencing and bioinformatics.

## Contribution

The study identifies novel regulatory axes involving circRNAs, miRNAs, and genes in hair follicle development and superior-quality hair formation.

## Key findings

- 87 genes, 96 miRNAs, and 135 circRNAs were differentially expressed between circCOL1A1-knockdown and overexpressing cells.
- DE genes and non-coding RNAs were enriched in MAPK, PI3K/Akt, and focal adhesion pathways linked to hair follicle development.
- Four key regulatory axes involving circRNAs, miRNAs, and target genes were identified.

## Abstract

Hair morphogenesis is tightly related to hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs) proliferation and hair follicle (HF) development. Yangtze River Delta white goats (YRDWG) HFSCs are important for producing superior-quality brush hair (SQBH). Nonetheless, the known regulatory mechanisms are not sufficient to explain YRDWG gHFSCs growth, HF development, and SQBH formation.

To deeply investigate the interaction networks and mechanisms of circCOL1A1 in the HF development and SQBH formation of YRDWG in detail, we applied whole-transcriptome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis of circCOL1A1-knockdown and circCOL1A1-overexpressing HFSCs from YRDWG. STRING and other databases were used to construct multiple interaction networks. Differentially expressed (DE) genes, DE-miRNAs, and DE-circRNAs were further confirmed via real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Sanger sequencing.

A total of 87 genes, 96 miRNAs, and 135 circRNAs were DE between circCOL1A1-knockdown and circCOL1A1-overexpressing gHFSCs. Functional enrichment, gene ontology annotation and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes analyses identified marked enrichment of these DE- genes, DE-miRNAs, and DE-circRNAs in the MAPK, PI3K/Akt, and focal adhesion signaling pathways, which are closely associated with gHFSCs growth and HF development. In addition, through interaction network construction, four important regulatory axes were obtained, namely, the chi-circCOL1A1-miR-149-5p-CMTM3-AR, chi-circACTN1- miR-671-5p-MAPK3/COL13A1, chi-circITGA6-miR-18a-5p-FGF1/MAP3K1 and chi-circ COBLL1-miR-30a-5p/miR-128-3p-ITGA6/MAPK14/FGF14 axes.

These novel findings provide a valuable and comprehensive basis for investigating the complex mechanism by which circRNAs participate in and regulate HF development and SQBH formation in YRDWG.