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Volume 15
Issue 10
10.3390/cells15100903
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Article

Screening of Key Pathways and Key Genes for the Differential Regulation of Subcutaneous and Intramuscular Fat Deposition by FTO in Chickens

by
Hua-Yun Huang
†,
Yi Kong
†,
Chun-Miao Li
,
Yu-Le Sui
,
Qian-Bao Wang
,
Zhen-Hua Zhao
,
Ling-Lin Kong
,
Zhao-Lin Wu
and
Wei Han
*
Institute of Poultry Science, Yangzhou 225125, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
These authors contributed equally to this study.
Cells 2026, 15(10), 903; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells15100903 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 17 April 2026 / Revised: 9 May 2026 / Accepted: 11 May 2026 / Published: 14 May 2026
Review Reports Versions Notes

Abstract

The fat mass and obesity-associated gene (FTO) has been shown to play a critical role in fat deposition in both humans and livestock. However, its involvement in subcutaneous and intramuscular fat deposition in chickens remains underexplored. In this study, we investigated the regulatory effects and pathways of FTO on subcutaneous and intramuscular fat deposition in chickens through functional gene verification and bioinformatics analysis. Our results demonstrated that, compared to the control group, exogenous transfection of an FTO lentiviral overexpression vector significantly inhibited cell proliferation and increased lipid accumulation in both subcutaneous and intramuscular adipocytes (p < 0.05). Furthermore, transfection of FTO siRNA markedly increased cell proliferation and reduced lipid accumulation in both subcutaneous and intramuscular adipocytes. A total of 413 and 164 differentially expressed genes were regulated by FTO in subcutaneous and intramuscular adipocytes, respectively. Pathway analysis revealed that the regulation of the actin cytoskeleton was a key process involved in FTO-mediated fat deposition in both subcutaneous and intramuscular adipocytes. Additionally, NRAS and ITGAV (subcutaneous fat), as well as FGF9, PIK3R2, FGF16, and RHOA (intramuscular fat), were identified as key genes enriched in this pathway. In conclusion, FTO differentially regulates fat deposition in chicken subcutaneous and intramuscular adipocytes by targeting distinct functional genes within the actin cytoskeleton pathway.
Keywords: fat mass and obesity-associated gene; chicken; fat deposition fat mass and obesity-associated gene; chicken; fat deposition

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MDPI and ACS Style

Huang, H.-Y.; Kong, Y.; Li, C.-M.; Sui, Y.-L.; Wang, Q.-B.; Zhao, Z.-H.; Kong, L.-L.; Wu, Z.-L.; Han, W. Screening of Key Pathways and Key Genes for the Differential Regulation of Subcutaneous and Intramuscular Fat Deposition by FTO in Chickens. Cells 2026, 15, 903. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells15100903

AMA Style

Huang H-Y, Kong Y, Li C-M, Sui Y-L, Wang Q-B, Zhao Z-H, Kong L-L, Wu Z-L, Han W. Screening of Key Pathways and Key Genes for the Differential Regulation of Subcutaneous and Intramuscular Fat Deposition by FTO in Chickens. Cells. 2026; 15(10):903. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells15100903

Chicago/Turabian Style

Huang, Hua-Yun, Yi Kong, Chun-Miao Li, Yu-Le Sui, Qian-Bao Wang, Zhen-Hua Zhao, Ling-Lin Kong, Zhao-Lin Wu, and Wei Han. 2026. "Screening of Key Pathways and Key Genes for the Differential Regulation of Subcutaneous and Intramuscular Fat Deposition by FTO in Chickens" Cells 15, no. 10: 903. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells15100903

APA Style

Huang, H.-Y., Kong, Y., Li, C.-M., Sui, Y.-L., Wang, Q.-B., Zhao, Z.-H., Kong, L.-L., Wu, Z.-L., & Han, W. (2026). Screening of Key Pathways and Key Genes for the Differential Regulation of Subcutaneous and Intramuscular Fat Deposition by FTO in Chickens. Cells, 15(10), 903. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells15100903

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