N6-methyladenosine (m6A)-circHECA facilitates the differentiation of SHF stem cells into hair follicle lineage through miR-449a-5p/LEF1 mediated Wnt/β-catenin pathway in cashmere goats

This study demonstrates that N6-methyladenosine (m6A)-circHECA plays a crucial role in promoting the differentiation of SHF stem cells into hair follicle lineages in cashmere goats. The research shows that m6A-circHECA expression is significantly higher post-differentiation and facilitates this process by sequestering miR-449a-5p, which enhances LEF1 gene expression and activates the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. The necessity of m6A modification within circHECA for this pathway was confirmed using m6A-deficient mutants, highlighting its importance in hair follicle lineage differentiation.