Previous reports have demonstrated that
RepSox can function as a replacement for cMyc and Sox2 in the reprogramming of cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), as well as increasing the levels of
bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)‑3 and inducing the phosphorylation of Smad1 in mouse embryonic stem cells. In the present study, it was demonstrated that
RepSox caused the visible morphological transformation of sheep fibroblasts; however, no significant alterations in cell proliferation, apoptosis or
chromosome aberrations were observed. Moreover,
RepSox increased the plasticity of long‑term cryopreserved sheep fibroblasts, and further promoted differentiation into adipocytes.
RepSox treatment led to a notable decrease in the expression of components of the
transforming growth factor (TGF)‑β signaling pathway, particularly Smad2/3 phosphorylation.
RepSox also activated the BMP pathway, promoted the reprogramming of cells from fibroblasts into adipocytes and induced mesenchymal‑epithelial transition. It is worth noting that
RepSox notably increased the expression of octamer‑binding
transcription factor 4 and L‑Myc, whereas Sox2 and Nanog expression were not detected. The results of high‑throughput
RNA sequencing revealed that the levels of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) involved in various metabolic processes were markedly upregulated in the RepSox‑treated fibroblasts, while the DEGs in the majority of signaling pathways were markedly downregulated. On the whole, the present study demonstrates that
RepSox can promote the plasticity of sheep fibroblasts and facilitates the differentiation of adipocytes via increasing BMP expression and inhibiting the activation of the TGF‑β signaling pathway.