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  3. Role of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway involved in self-renewing and maintaining biological properties of chicken primordial germ cells

Role of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway involved in self-renewing and maintaining biological properties of chicken primordial germ cells

  • Poult Sci. 2024 Aug 8;103(11):104140. doi: 10.1016/j.psj.2024.104140.
Xin Liu 1,  Liu Ye 1,  Ying Ding 1,  Wei Gong 1,  Hongwu Qian 1,  Kai Jin 1,  Yingjie Niu 1,  Qisheng Zuo 1,  Jiuzhou Song 2,  Wei Han 3,  Guohong Chen 1,  Bichun Li 4
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding Reproduction and Molecular Design for Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Institutes of Agricultural Science and Technology Development, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China.
  • 2 Animal & Avian Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, MA 20742, USA.
  • 3 Poultry Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences Poultry Institute of Jiangsu, Yangzhou 225003, China.
  • 4 Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding Reproduction and Molecular Design for Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Institutes of Agricultural Science and Technology Development, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; College of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212100, China. Electronic address: yubcli@yzu.edu.cn.
PMID: 39173217 DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2024.104140
Abstract

Avian primordial germ cells (PGCs) are important culture cells for the production of transgenic chickens and preservation of the genetic resources of endangered species; however, culturing these cells in vitro proves challenging. Although the proliferation of chicken PGCs is dependent on Insulin, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. In the present study, we explored the expression of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in PGCs, investigated its effects on PGC self-renewal and biological properties, and identified the underlying mechanisms. Our findings indicated that although supplementation with the PI3K/Akt Activator IGF-1 failed to promote proliferation under the assessed culture conditions, the PI3K/Akt Inhibitor LY294002 resulted in retarded cell proliferation and reduced expression of germ cell-related markers. We further demonstrated that inhibition of PI3K/Akt regulates the cell cycle and promotes Apoptosis in PGCs by activating the expression of Bax and inhibiting that of Bcl-2. These findings indicated that the PI3K/Akt pathway is required for cell renewal, Apoptosis, and maintenance of the reproductive potential in chicken PGCs. This study aimed to provide a theoretical basis for the optimization and improvement of a culture system for chicken PGCs and provide insights into the self-renewal of vertebrate PGCs as well as potential evolutionary changes in this unique cell population.

Keywords

PI3K/AKT; biological property; chicken primordial germ cell; proliferation.

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