Comprehensive analysis of <i>circRNAs</i> and <i>lncRNAs</i> involvement in the development of skeletal muscle in myostatin-deficient rabbits

Myostatin (<i>MSTN</i>) protein, <i>lncRNAs</i>, and <i>circRNAs</i> regulate skeletal muscle growth and development. This work aims to compare the expression patterns of <i>circRNAs</i> and <i>lncRNAs</i> in the gluteus maximus tissue of wild-type (WT) and <i>MSTN</i> gene knockout (KO) rabbits. Within the gluteus maximus tissue of three WT and four <i>MSTN</i> KO rabbits, we analyzed the expression profiles of <i>circRNAs</i> and <i>lncRNAs</i>. After identifying the differently expressed RNAs, the biological pathways implicated were ascertained by performing enrichment analysis using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Ontology (GO). We identified differences in the expression of 251 <i>circRNAs</i> (79 upregulated and 172 downregulated), 176 <i>lncRNAs</i> (53 upregulated and 123 downregulated), and 1178 mRNAs (408 upregulated and 770 downregulated) between WT and <i>MSTN</i> KO rabbits. Target genes were significantly enriched in pathways associated with protein synthesis and catabolism, such as oxidative phosphorylation, ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis, the FoxO signaling pathway, and the pentose phosphate pathway, as identified through GO and KEGG enrichment analyses. The constructed network indicates that a class of <i>circRNAs</i> and <i>lncRNAs</i> is engaged in <i>MSTN</i>-mediated regulation of skeletal muscle development. These findings provide valuable insights for innovative therapeutic, diagnostic, and preventive approaches to muscle disorders.