Comprehensive analysis of the long non-coding RNA expression profile and functional roles in a contrast-induced acute kidney injury rat model

Exp Ther Med. 2021 Jul;22(1):739. doi: 10.3892/etm.2021.10171. Epub 2021 May 9.

Abstract

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been identified as a class of regulatory RNAs that participate in both physiological and pathological conditions, including acute kidney injury. However, the roles of lncRNA dysregulation in the pathogenesis of contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) are largely unknown. In the present study, the expression profiles of lncRNAs in kidney tissue were compared between rats with CI-AKI and controls using high-throughput RNA sequencing. In total, 910 differentially expressed (DE) lncRNAs (DElncRNAs), including 415 downregulated and 495 upregulated lncRNAs, were identified at 12 h after intra-arterial iodinated contrast medium injection (fold change ≥2; P<0.05). Eight DElncRNAs were further selected and validated using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. A previous study defined microRNA (miRNA) and mRNA expression changes in the same CI-AKI model. In the present study, a lncRNA-mRNA co-expression network comprising 349 DElncRNAs and 202 DEmRNAs was constructed. The function of these DElncRNAs was mainly associated with oxidative stress and inflammation. Additionally, lncRNA-associated competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) analysis revealed a network comprising 40 DElncRNA nodes, 5 DEmiRNA nodes and 59 DEmRNA nodes. Among which, the carnosine dipeptidase 1-specific and the transmembrane protein 184B-specific networks were likely to be associated with CI-AKI. The results of the present study revealed the expression profile and potential roles of lncRNAs in CI-AKI, and provide a framework for further mechanistic studies.

Keywords: RNA sequencing; co-expression analysis; competing endogenous RNA; contrast-induced acute kidney injury; long non-coding RNA.

Grants and funding

Funding: This work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Fujian province (grant no. 2016J01477), and the Health Care Project of Chinese PLA (grant no. 16BJZ55).