Circular RNA circHIPK3 Promotes the Proliferation and Differentiation of Chicken Myoblast Cells by Sponging miR-30a-3p

Circular RNAs and microRNAs widely exist in various species and play crucial roles in multiple biological processes. It is essential to study their roles in myogenesis. In our previous sequencing data, both miR-30a-3p and circular HIPK3 (circHIPK3) RNA, which are produced by the third exon of the HIPK3 gene, were differentially expressed among chicken skeletal muscles at 11 embryo age (E11), 16 embryo age (E16), and 1-day post-hatch (P1). Here, we investigated their potential roles in myogenesis. Proliferation experiment showed that miR-30a-3p could inhibit the proliferation of myoblast. Through dual-luciferase assay and Myosin heavy chain (MYHC) immunofluorescence, we found that miR-30a-3p could inhibit the differentiation of myoblast by binding to Myocyte Enhancer Factor 2 C (MEF2C), which could promote the differentiation of myoblast. Then, we found that circHIPK3 could act as a sponge of miR-30a-3p and exerted a counteractive effect of miR-30a-3p by promoting the proliferation and differentiation of myoblasts. Taking together, our data suggested that circHIPK3 could promote the chicken embryonic skeletal muscle development by sponging miR-30a-3p.