Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41742140›Full record

ArticleBMC biology2026

Single-nucleus atlas provides insights into changes in the evolution of the pig hippocampus.

Lingyao Xu, Jinyun Jiang, Yizheng Zhuang, Xingyu Wei, Qinqin Xie, Pengfei Yu, Shuang Liu, Caiyun Cao, Jiabao Sun, Jiamin Gu and 6 more

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Article in BMC biology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

16 authors.

Lingyao XuZhejiang Key Laboratory of nutrition and breeding for high-quality animal products, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China.
Jinyun JiangZhejiang Key Laboratory of nutrition and breeding for high-quality animal products, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China.
Yizheng ZhuangZhejiang Key Laboratory of nutrition and breeding for high-quality animal products, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China.
Xingyu WeiZhejiang Key Laboratory of nutrition and breeding for high-quality animal products, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China.
Qinqin XieZhejiang Key Laboratory of nutrition and breeding for high-quality animal products, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China.
Pengfei YuZhejiang Key Laboratory of nutrition and breeding for high-quality animal products, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China.
Shuang LiuZhejiang Key Laboratory of nutrition and breeding for high-quality animal products, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China.
Caiyun CaoZhejiang Key Laboratory of nutrition and breeding for high-quality animal products, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China.
Jiabao SunZhejiang Key Laboratory of nutrition and breeding for high-quality animal products, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China.
Jiamin GuZhejiang Key Laboratory of nutrition and breeding for high-quality animal products, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China.
Zhenyang ZhangZhejiang Key Laboratory of nutrition and breeding for high-quality animal products, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China.
Wei ZhaoSciGene Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Hefei, 230031, China.
Zhe ZhangZhejiang Key Laboratory of nutrition and breeding for high-quality animal products, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China.
Qishan WangZhejiang Key Laboratory of nutrition and breeding for high-quality animal products, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China.
Yuchun PanZhejiang Key Laboratory of nutrition and breeding for high-quality animal products, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China.
Zhen WangZhejiang Key Laboratory of nutrition and breeding for high-quality animal products, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China. wangzhen20@zju.edu.cn.

Funding

Hainan Province Science and Technology Special Fund ZDYF2025XDNY068Key Research and Development Program of Yangzhou YZ2024047National Key Research and Development Program of China 2021YFD1200802National Key Research and Development Program of China 2022YFF1000500National Natural Science Foundation of China 32172691
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe large-scale development of pig farming has introduced significant stressors that negatively affect pigs' mental health, behavior, and production efficiency. The hippocampus, crucial for cognition and stress response regulation, plays a central role in these processes. However, the regulatory mechanisms underlying hippocampal function across pig breeds with different domestication statuses and their implications for behavior and breeding strategies remain unclear.

resultsWe performed single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) on hippocampal tissues from 22,342 cells across three pig breeds: Asian wild boar, Jinhua, and Duroc, representing different domestication statuses. We identified six major hippocampal cell types and annotated 108 breed-specific transcription factors, including GATA2, SPI1, and EBF1. Additionally, we characterized 83 co-expression modules and 50 significant ligand-receptor pairs, such as TGFβ, WNT, and SPP1, revealing complex intercellular communication networks. Oligodendrocyte expression patterns were conserved across all breeds. We identified 194 candidate genes linked to stress resilience, mental health, and feeding behavior, including MC4R, RYR2, PDE10A, and ABCG2. Alzheimer's disease-related gene enrichment was lower in Duroc pigs, consistent with reduced APOE expression. We also developed the Pig Hippocampus Single-cell Atlas (PHiSA, http://alphaindex.zju.edu.cn:8503/ ), an open-access database allowing breed-specific hippocampal analyses and validation of gene expression at the single-nucleus level.

conclusionsThis study offers insights into hippocampal function regulation in pigs, focusing on stress resilience, behavior, and productivity. It highlights conserved and breed-specific molecular features of hippocampal cell types and their roles in adaptability and mental health. By integrating single-nucleus data, the research suggests that genetic strategies could be used to improve animal welfare, stress management, and production efficiency in pig breeding programs.

Indexed as

Biological EvolutionHippocampusSus scrofaAnimalsSwineGene expressionGenetic improvementHippocampusMental healthNucleiPig

Identifiers

PMID41742140
PMCPMC13041328

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.