Multi-omics analysis of vitronectin (VTN) overexpression in Hu sheep ruminal epithelial cells

Vitronectin (VTN) is an important extracellular matrix protein that influences cell adhesion, migration, and signal transduction in ruminal epithelial cells (RECs). In this study, primary ruminal epithelial cells were isolated from one-month-old Hu sheep and transfected with a VTN overexpression plasmid or left as controls. Both transcriptomic (RNA-seq) and metabolomic (LC-MS/MS) analyses were performed to investigate the effects of VTN overexpression, with three biological replicates per group. The results revealed that VTN regulates multiple cellular networks related to cell repair, proliferation, inflammation, and energy metabolism, providing new insights into rumen function and molecular mechanisms of feed efficiency in ruminants.