Differentially expressed coding and noncoding RNAs in CoCl₂-induced cytotoxicity of C2C12 cells

Area of Science:

• Molecular Biology
• Toxicology
• Genomics

Background:

• Cobalt(II) ions (Co(II)) are known to induce cytotoxicity in skeletal muscle cells.
• Understanding the molecular mechanisms, particularly the role of RNA regulation, is crucial for addressing Co(II) toxicity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the regulatory roles of coding and noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) in Co(II) ion-induced cytotoxicity.
• To identify specific ncRNAs and their regulatory networks involved in skeletal muscle cell response to Co(II).

Main Methods:

• Confirmed toxic effects of CoCl2 on mouse skeletal C2C12 myotubes.
• Performed microarray analysis for expression profiling of circular RNAs (circRNAs), long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), and mRNAs.
• Constructed co-expression, competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA), and cis/trans regulation networks for ncRNAs.

Main Results:

• Identified 605 differentially expressed circRNAs, 4409 lncRNAs, and 3965 mRNAs.
• Provided comprehensive ncRNA regulatory networks.
• Filtered 71 candidate circRNAs with coding potential and elucidated their presumed functions.

Conclusions:

• The study identified numerous differentially expressed RNAs and constructed regulatory networks in response to Co(II) exposure.
• Findings suggest novel regulatory mechanisms underlying the toxic effects of CoCl2 in skeletal muscle.
• These insights contribute to understanding the molecular basis of Co(II) myotoxicity.