Integrated Analysis of miRNAs and mRNA Profiling Reveals the Potential Roles of miRNAs in Sheep Hair Follicle Development

The research analyzed mRNA and miRNA binding in the hair follicle development of 18 Merino sheep, a breed known for high-quality wool. The study identified 87 differentially expressed miRNAs (DE-miRNAs) across six stages of hair follicle development. The results showed that DE-mRNAs in the initial stage were closely related to hair follicle morphogenesis. Specifically, miR-23b and miR-133 were found to target and regulate ACVR1B and WNT10A respectively. Overexpression of these miRNAs significantly reduced the mRNA and protein expression levels of their target genes. This research provides new insights into the molecular basis of hair follicle development and could potentially improve sheep hair follicle breeding.