{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,14]],"date-time":"2026-09-14T05:05:13Z","timestamp":1789362313241,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":47,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,14]],"date-time":"2026-09-14T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1789344000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Vet. Sci."],"abstract":"<jats:p>\n                    Leydig cells (LCs) are the primary cells responsible for testosterone synthesis in male animals, and their steroidogenic function is crucial for testicular development and spermatogenesis in bulls. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) play important roles in various biological processes and reproductive development; however, their functions in bovine LCs remain largely unexplored. Our previous whole-transcriptome sequencing of calf and adult bovine testes identified a differentially expressed circRNA, circ_0027599 (designated circNSD2 after its host gene\n                    <jats:italic>NSD2<\/jats:italic>\n                    ), that was highly expressed in adult testes. To investigate its function, circNSD2 was overexpressed in bovine LCs, and its effects on cell proliferation, apoptosis, and testosterone synthesis were assessed. The results showed that circNSD2 overexpression significantly enhanced cell viability, increased the proportion of cells in the S phase, and upregulated the expression of proliferation-related genes (proliferating cell nuclear antigen [\n                    <jats:italic>PCNA<\/jats:italic>\n                    ] and\n                    <jats:italic>CDK2<\/jats:italic>\n                    ). Concurrently, circNSD2 overexpression significantly reduced the number of apoptotic cells, downregulated the expression of pro-apoptotic genes (\n                    <jats:italic>BAX<\/jats:italic>\n                    and\n                    <jats:italic>Caspase3<\/jats:italic>\n                    ), and upregulated the anti-apoptotic gene (\n                    <jats:italic>Bcl2<\/jats:italic>\n                    ). Furthermore, circNSD2 overexpression promoted testosterone secretion and increased the expression of key steroidogenic genes (\n                    <jats:italic>STAR<\/jats:italic>\n                    ,\n                    <jats:italic>CYP11A1<\/jats:italic>\n                    ,\n                    <jats:italic>CYP17A1<\/jats:italic>\n                    , and\n                    <jats:italic>HSD17B3<\/jats:italic>\n                    ). In conclusion, circNSD2 promotes proliferation, inhibits apoptosis, and enhances testosterone synthesis and secretion in bovine LCs. These findings reveal a potential regulatory role of circNSD2 in bovine testicular development and provide a theoretical foundation and molecular target for improving reproductive performance in breeding bulls.\n                  <\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fvets.2026.1932131","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,14]],"date-time":"2026-09-14T04:38:41Z","timestamp":1789360721000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Novel circNSD2 promotes proliferation and testosterone synthesis while inhibiting apoptosis in bovine Leydig cells"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Xiang","family":"Meng","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Local Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resource Conservation and Germplasm Innovation, College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University","place":["Hefei, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Tianxiang","family":"Meng","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Local Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resource Conservation and Germplasm Innovation, College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University","place":["Hefei, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Xinqi","family":"Zhou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Local Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resource Conservation and Germplasm Innovation, College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University","place":["Hefei, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sihua","family":"Jin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Local Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resource Conservation and Germplasm Innovation, College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University","place":["Hefei, China"]},{"name":"National Livestock and Poultry Regional Gene Bank (Anhui), Anhui Agricultural University","place":["Hefei, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yunhai","family":"Zhang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Local Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resource Conservation and Germplasm Innovation, College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University","place":["Hefei, China"]},{"name":"National Livestock and Poultry Regional Gene Bank (Anhui), Anhui Agricultural University","place":["Hefei, China"]},{"name":"Institute of Beef Cattle Industry, Anhui Agricultural University","place":["Hefei, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ning","family":"Song","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Local Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resource Conservation and Germplasm Innovation, College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University","place":["Hefei, China"]},{"name":"National Livestock and Poultry Regional Gene Bank (Anhui), Anhui Agricultural University","place":["Hefei, China"]},{"name":"Institute of Beef Cattle Industry, Anhui Agricultural University","place":["Hefei, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Hongyu","family":"Liu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Local Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resource Conservation and Germplasm Innovation, College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University","place":["Hefei, China"]},{"name":"National Livestock and Poultry Regional Gene Bank (Anhui), Anhui Agricultural University","place":["Hefei, China"]},{"name":"Institute of Beef Cattle Industry, Anhui Agricultural University","place":["Hefei, 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