LncRNAENSGALG00000021686 regulates fat metabolism in chicken hepatocytes via miR‐146b/AGPAT2 pathway

Abstract The liver contributes to lipid metabolism as the hub of fat synthesis. Long non‐coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are considered the regulators of cellular processes. Since LncRNA ENSGALG00000021686 (lncRNA 21 686) has been described as a regulator of lipid metabolism, the present study aimed to clarify the role of lncRNA 21 686 in chicken hepatocytes’ lipid metabolism. Thirty‐two chickens were divided into four groups and were treated with diets containing different amounts of fat, and the hepatic expression of lncRNA 21 686 and miR‐146b along with the levels of proteins involved in the regulation of fat metabolism, lipid indices and oxidative stress were measured. Moreover, primary chicken hepatocytes were transfected with lncRNA 21 686 small interfering RNA or microRNA (miRNA, miR ) ‐146b mimics to measure the consequences of suppressing lncRNA or inducing miRNA expression on the levels of proteins involved in fat metabolism and stress markers. The results showed that the high‐fat diet modulated the expression of lncRNA 21 686 and miR‐146b ( p ‐value < 0.001). Moreover, there was a significant increase in 1‐acyl‐sn‐glycerol‐3‐phosphate acyltransferase 2 ( AGPAT2 ) gene expression and protein levels and modulated fat‐related markers. Furthermore, the results showed that lncRNA 21 686 suppression reduced the expression of AGPAT2 and its downstream proteins ( p ‐value < 0.05). Overexpression of miR‐146b regulated fat metabolism indicator expression. Transfection experiments revealed that lncRNA 21 686 suppression increased miR‐146b expression. The findings suggested a novel mechanism containing lncRNA 21 686 / miR‐146b / AGPAT2 in the regulation of fat metabolism in chicken hepatocytes.