Promising Role of Growth Hormone-Boosting Peptide in Regulating the Expression of Muscle-Specific Genes and Related MicroRNAs in Broiler Chickens

摘要

In chickens, breast muscle is a key contributor to meat yield. Skeletal muscle development is a complex process regulated by many genes, transcription factors, and miRNA through different muscle signaling pathways. The latter are activated by synthetic growth hormone-boosting peptides (GHBP) that mimic the effects of endogenous growth factors, mainly insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and modulate myostatin gene expression. The molecular mechanisms underlying chicken breast muscle development in relation to GHBP are still unclear. In the current study, the role of GHBP in a chicken’s growth rate, skeletal muscle development-related genes and myomiRs, serum bio-chemical parameters, and myofiber characteristics post-hatching was evaluated. Using of GHBP at a level of 200 μg/kg positively regulated gene expression related to muscle growth and muscle-specific myomiRs. This was evidenced by upregulation of IGF-1, mTOR, myoD and myogenin genes, and miR-27b and miR-499 and downregulation of myostatin, Pax-3 and -7 genes and miR-1a, miR-133a, miR-133b, and miR-206 compared to the control group. Therefore, administration of GHBP at the level of 200 μg/kg to broiler chicks can accelerate their growth by enhancing skeletal muscle development via controlling the transcription of breast muscle-related genes and associated myomiRs.