Testis-enriched circular RNA circ-Bbs9 plays an important role in Leydig cell proliferation by regulating a CyclinD2-dependent pathway

Reprod Fertil Dev. 2020 Feb;32(4):355-362. doi: 10.1071/RD18474.

Abstract

Circular RNAs belong to a new category of non-coding RNAs, characterised by a circular structure, conservation, stability and high expression in eukaryotes. They often show tissue- or cell-specific expression. Here, we identified a testis-enriched circular RNA (circRNA), circular Bbs9 (circ-Bbs9) that is highly expressed in mouse testis. An RNase R treatment experiment confirmed that circ-Bbs9 is indeed a circRNA. In situ hybridisation experiments showed that circ-Bbs9 is expressed in Leydig cells along seminiferous tubules and in the cytoplasm of the TM3 Leydig cell line. Knocking down the circ-Bbs9 in TM3 cells by lentivirus vectors arrested cell proliferation, whereas overexpression of circ-Bbs9 induced cell proliferation significantly. Knocking down circ-Bbs9 inhibited the protein level of cyclin D2 (Ccnd2) and RNA immunoprecipitation results showed that circ-Bbs9 interacts with Ccnd2. Our results show that use of the Hedgehog pathway Smoothened Agonist (SAG) HCl and antagonists cyclopamine and gant6 affects the expression levels of Glioma-Associated Oncogene Homolog 1 (Gli1), Ccnd2 and other genes in this pathway. Our research reveals that a Leydig cell-specific circRNA, circ-Bbs9, plays a critical role in Leydig cell proliferation through regulating the levels of cell cycle-related Ccnd2. Thus, our results emphasise the important role of circRNA in the male reproductive system.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Proliferation*
  • Cyclin D2 / genetics
  • Cyclin D2 / metabolism*
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Hedgehog Proteins / metabolism
  • Leydig Cells / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • RNA, Circular / genetics
  • RNA, Circular / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction
  • Zinc Finger Protein GLI1 / genetics
  • Zinc Finger Protein GLI1 / metabolism

Substances

  • Ccnd2 protein, mouse
  • Cyclin D2
  • Gli1 protein, mouse
  • Hedgehog Proteins
  • RNA, Circular
  • Zinc Finger Protein GLI1