Transcriptomic analysis reveals critical genes for the hair follicle of Inner Mongolia cashmere goat from catagen to telogen

There are two main types of hair follicle in Inner Mongolia Cashmere goats, the primary hair follicle (PHF) producing hair fibers and the secondary hair follicle (SHF) producing cashmere fibers. Of both fibers from cashmere-bearing goats in Aerbasi, Inner Mongolia, the timing of cyclical phases for the cashmere have been well clarified but hair fibers have been less noticeable. Herein, we evaluated transcriptome of PHF and SHF from the same three goats in Aerbasi at the catagen- and telogen phase of cashmere growth. We totally found 1977 DEGs between PHFs at the telogen and catagen phases of SHF, 1199 DEGs between telogen- and catagen SHF, 2629 DEGs between PHF at the catagen phase of SHF and catagen SHF, and 755 DEGs between PHF at the telogen phase of SHF and telogen SHF. By analyzing gene functions based on GO and KEGG database, we found that the DEGs have functions in muscle contraction and muscle filament sliding between catagen- and telogen SHF, indicating that arrector pilli muscles might play a role on the transition from catagen to telogen. Moreover, considering that the enriched GO and KEGG categories of the DEGs between PHF and SHF, we suggested that part of PHF might rest in their own anagen phase when SHF are at catagen, but PHF might enter into the telogen phase at SHF’s telogen. Finally, we highly recommended the several potential genes acting as the regulators of the transition between growth phases including IL17RB and eight members of ZNF. These results provide insight into molecular mechanisms on the transition of SHF from catagen to telogen together with PHF’s growth situation at SHF’s catagen and telogen in Inner Mongolia Cashmere goats.