Defining Age- and Lactocrine-Sensitive Elements of the Neonatal Porcine Uterine microRNA-mRNA Interactome. Sus scrofa

Factors delivered to offspring in colostrum within two days of birth support neonatal porcine uterine development. The uterine mRNA transcriptome is affected by age and nursing during this period. Whether uterine microRNA (miRNA) expression is affected similarly is unknown. Objectives were to: 1) determine effects of age and nursing on porcine uterine miRNA expression between birth and postnatal day (PND) 2 using small RNA sequencing (smRNA-Seq) and; 2) define affected miRNA-mRNA interactions and associated biological processes using integrated target prediction analysis. Overall design: Pig uterine tissues were obtained from neonatal gilts (n = 4/group) within 1 h of birth [postnatal day (PND) 0], or 48 h after nursing ad libitum (PND 2N), or feeding a commercial milk replacer (PND 2R).