Plasma long noncoding RNA expression profile identified by microarray in patients with Crohn's disease.

Area of Science:

• Genomics
• Molecular Biology
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease.
• Current diagnostic methods for CD can be invasive.
• Identifying non-invasive biomarkers is crucial for early diagnosis and management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the expression patterns of plasma long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in patients with Crohn's disease.
• To identify potential plasma lncRNA biomarkers for CD diagnosis.
• To explore the regulatory relationships between lncRNAs and mRNAs in CD.

Main Methods:

• Plasma samples from CD patients and healthy controls were analyzed using microarray screening.
• Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was used for lncRNA and mRNA verification.
• Bioinformatic analyses including hierarchy clustering, Gene Ontology (GO), and KEGG pathway analyses were performed.
• A competing network (CNC) analysis was conducted to predict lncRNA-mRNA regulatory effects.

Main Results:

• Microarray analysis revealed significant dysregulation of numerous lncRNAs and mRNAs in CD patients compared to controls.
• Specific lncRNAs (e.g., GUSBP2, AF113016) and mRNAs (e.g., TBC1D17, CCL3L3) showed high fold changes.
• Validation by qRT-PCR confirmed the differential expression of selected lncRNAs and mRNAs.
• CNC network analysis predicted a complex regulatory network of lncRNAs targeting mRNAs.

Conclusions:

• Plasma lncRNA profiles show promise as non-invasive biomarkers for Crohn's disease.
• The identified lncRNAs and their predicted mRNA targets provide a foundation for further research into CD pathogenesis.
• These findings support the development of novel diagnostic strategies for CD.