Ruan Jimeng, Shang Zhenhua, Yan Hao, Cui Bo, Wang Qi, Wu Jiangtao, Jia Chunsong, Cui Xin, Li Jin, Ou Tongwen
Department of Urology, Xuanwu Hospital Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Transl Androl Urol. 2022 Jun;11(6):735-749. doi: 10.21037/tau-21-1161.
Growing evidence has indicated that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are important regulators of pathological and physiological processes through various mechanisms. However, the signature of lncRNA expression and the possible roles of lncRNAs in spinal cord injury (SCI) rat neurogenic bladder (NB) have not been comprehensively explored. In this study, the expression profiles of lncRNAs and mRNAs were explored in the bladder tissue of SCI rats using next-generation sequencing (NGS).
Twenty female Wistar rats were randomly divided into SCI 1-3 and normal control (NC) groups. The spinal cord was completely transected at the T9-T10 level to establish the SCI model. Bladder tissues were collected on days 7, 14, and 28 after the operation. The expression profiles of lncRNAs were detected by NGS. Differentially expressed lncRNAs (DELs) were chosen for qRT-PCR verification to validate the RNA sequencing results. The functions of the predicted target genes were then evaluated using Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis.
Compared with the NC group, the SCI 1-3 groups had 468, 117, and 408 DELs [fold change (FC) >2], including 247, 38, and 201 up-regulated and 163, 79, and 207 down-regulated lncRNAs, respectively. Likewise, 6,654, 2,133, and 5,706 mRNAs (FC >2) were differentially expressed between SCI 1-3 and NC rats, of which 4,821, 1,195, and 3,695 were up-regulated, and 1,833, 938, and 2,011 were down-regulated, respectively. Specifically, Miat, Mir155hg, and H19 were significant DELs in all SCI groups. Moreover, GO revealed that the DELs were related to several terms, including immune response, and KEGG was mainly enriched in 10 pathways, such as the transforming growth factor β signaling pathway.
The results revealed the expression profiles and possible roles of lncRNAs in SCI rat NB. This study may help identify possible NB mechanisms following SCI from the perspective of lncRNAs and provides new potential lncRNAs for the early diagnosis and treatment of human NB in the future.
越来越多的证据表明，长链非编码RNA（lncRNA）通过多种机制成为病理和生理过程的重要调节因子。然而，lncRNA表达特征及其在脊髓损伤（SCI）大鼠神经源性膀胱（NB）中的潜在作用尚未得到全面探索。在本研究中，使用下一代测序（NGS）技术探索了SCI大鼠膀胱组织中lncRNA和mRNA的表达谱。
将20只雌性Wistar大鼠随机分为SCI 1 - 3组和正常对照组（NC）。在T9 - T10水平完全横断脊髓以建立SCI模型。术后第7、14和28天收集膀胱组织。通过NGS检测lncRNA的表达谱。选择差异表达的lncRNA（DEL）进行qRT - PCR验证，以验证RNA测序结果。然后使用基因本体论（GO）富集和京都基因与基因组百科全书（KEGG）通路分析评估预测靶基因的功能。
与NC组相比，SCI 1 - 3组分别有468、117和408个DEL [倍数变化（FC）>2]，其中上调的lncRNA分别有247、38和201个，下调的分别有163、79和207个。同样，SCI 1 - 3组与NC组大鼠之间分别有6654、2133和5706个mRNA（FC >2）差异表达，其中上调的分别有4821、1195和3695个，下调的分别有1833、938和2011个。具体而言，Miat、Mir155hg和H19在所有SCI组中均为显著的DEL。此外，GO显示DEL与包括免疫反应在内的几个术语相关，KEGG主要富集在10条通路中，如转化生长因子β信号通路。
结果揭示了lncRNA在SCI大鼠NB中的表达谱及潜在作用。本研究可能有助于从lncRNA角度识别SCI后可能的NB机制，并为未来人类NB的早期诊断和治疗提供新的潜在lncRNA。
