The role of the novel lncRNA lncFABP4 in modulating adipogenic differentiation in buffalo intramuscular preadipocytes

Intramuscular fat (IMF) is a crucial determinant of meat quality and is influenced by various regulatory factors. Despite the growing recognition of the important role of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in IMF deposition, the mechanisms underlying buffalo IMF deposition remain poorly understood. In this study, we identified and characterized a novel lncRNA, lncFABP4, which was transcribed from the antisense strand of FABP4. Moreover, lncFABP4 significantly increased intramuscular preadipocyte differentiation, as indicated by an increase in the expression of the adipogenic markers peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARG), CCAAT enhancer binding protein alpha (C/EBPα), and fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4). Mechanistically, lncFABP4 was found to have the potential to regulate downstream gene expression by forming transcriptional complexes with the FABP4 protein. These findings contribute to a further understanding of the intricate mechanisms through which lncRNAs modulate intramuscular adipogenesis in buffaloes.