The Expression And Distribution Of Transforming Growth Factor-β1,-β2 And-β3 In Kazakh Sheep(ovis Aries)skin With Different Coat Color

Kazakh sheep is a population of sheep that is one of the three major sources of coarse wool in China.They are local breeds that were formed by the long-term evolution and adaptation of Xinjiang’s special geographical and climatic conditions.Moreover,they are rich in natural coat color.Mammalian natural coat color is valuable to the fiber industry since it avoids harm to human beings from using products generated by chemical dyeing.Currently,many researchers are working on natural coat color.Transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β)is a member of TGF-β superfamily,and there are three different subtypes—TGF-β1,-β2and-β3.Studies have shown that TGF-β regulate melanin synthesis by regulating the levels of tyrosinase(TYR),tyrosinase-associated protein 2(TRP2),and microeye malformation-associated transcription factors(MITF)in melanocytes,and it play an important role in melanocyte development and melanogenesis,thereby we speculated that it may regulate Kazakh sheep coat color formation.To understand the mechanism(s)involved in color formation,we selected healthy and sexually mature white,brown and black female kazakh sheep as the study subjects,three sheep were randomly selected for each coat color,the back skin was collected to study the expression and localization of TGF-β1,-β2 and-β3genes in Kazakh sheep with different coat color.Research methods and results are as follows:1.We used quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction(q PCR)technique to detect the relative expression of TGF-β1,TGF-β2 and TGF-β3 m RNA in Kazakh sheep(Ovis aries)with white,brown,or black coat color.The results showed that the expression of these three genes was highest in black Kazakh sheep skin,followed by brown and lowest in white.2.We analyzed the expression of TGF-β1,TGF-β2 and TGF-β3 proteins in Kazakh sheep with white,brown,or black coat color by Western blotting.The results showed that the three proteins were expressed in the skin of sheep with different coat color.TGF-β protein levels were significantly higher in the skin of brown and black-colored sheep as compared to those in the skin of white sheep.The expression of TGF-βwas higher in the sheep skin with the black coat as compared to that in sheep skin with brown coat color.3.We detected the localization of the TGF-β in the skin of Kazakh sheep with different coat color by immunohistochemistry.The results showed that TGF-β1,TGF-β2,and TGF-β3 proteins were localized in the epidermis,root sheath,and hair shaft in the skin of Kazakh sheep.Taken together,we detected the expression and localization of the TGF-β in the skin tissues of Kazakh sheep with different coat color,and we finded that TGF-β1,TGF-β2,and TGF-β3 may regulate Kazakh sheep coat color formation.Furthermore,this study may provide novel insights into the treatment of pigmentation disorders and related diseases,and improve our understanding of the potential role of TGF-βin affecting coat color.