Knockdown of gga-miR-142-3p in developing chicken embryo: expression profile of XPO1

Differential expression of gga-miR-142-3p microRNA of haemopoeitic origin during immune organ development and functional stages in chicken embryos creates new opportunities for understanding its pivotal role during embryonic developmental stages. To decipher the role of gga-miR-142-3p in-ovo knockdown was carried out with LNA modified anti-miR-gga-miR-142-3p via intravenous route at developmental and functional stages of the immune organs and other organs. Bioinformatic analysis of the genes targeted by gga-miRNA142- 3p revealed that the predicted gene XPO1 conserved binding sites at 3' UTR. The target gene XPO1 was evaluated as the validated target of gga-miR-142-3p by employing qPCR SYBR green based technology, which was evidenced by its increased expression in the tissues of gga-miR-142-3p knockdown chicken embryos. Histopathological alterations in the immune organs and visceral organs indicated that the systemic knockdown of gga-miR-124-3p led to over expression of the XPO1 gene during the embryonic stages, and changed the environment of the immune organs related to structural integrity, immune response, signal transduction and migration of B and T cells during the embryonic developmental stage in the chicken embryos. The results clearly indicated that these changes could alter the postnatal development and functions of these immune organs, and may lead to development of immuno-compromised chickens.