Systematic Analysis of Non-coding RNAs Involved in the Angora Rabbit Hair Follicle Cycle by RNA Sequencing

This study investigated the role of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in the hair follicle (HF) cycle of Angora rabbits using RNA sequencing. Researchers identified 111 long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), 247 circular RNAs (circRNAs), 97 microRNAs (miRNAs), and 1,168 mRNAs that were differentially expressed during the HF growth stages. Validation was done using quantitative real-time PCR, and analyses such as Gene Ontology (GO) and KEGG pathway provided insights into the roles of these ncRNAs and mRNAs. The study also constructed ceRNA networks, identifying LNC_002919 and novel_circ_0026326 as key regulators acting as miR-320-3p sponges. This research highlighted the potential regulatory roles of ncRNAs in hair growth and provided a foundation for further studies on HF cycle regulation.