Microarray analysis of long non-coding RNA expression profiles in low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol disease

Area of Science:

• Genetics
• Molecular Biology
• Cardiovascular Disease Research

Background:

• Low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) disease is prevalent in the Xinjiang Kazak population with an unknown cause.
• This study investigates the role of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the etiology of low HDL-C disease.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify differentially expressed lncRNAs and messenger RNAs (mRNAs) in individuals with low HDL-C disease compared to healthy controls.
• To explore the potential signaling pathways and target genes associated with low HDL-C disease using bioinformatic analyses.

Main Methods:

• Plasma samples from 20 Xinjiang Kazak individuals (10 low HDL-C, 10 normal HDL-C) were analyzed using microarray analysis.
• Differentially expressed lncRNAs and mRNAs were identified using stringent statistical criteria (fold-change ≥ 1.5, FDR-adjusted P < 0.05).
• Bioinformatic tools including Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and network analyses were employed.

Main Results:

• Microarray analysis revealed 381 differentially expressed lncRNAs and 370 differentially expressed mRNAs.
• TCONS_00006679 and TCONS_00011823 were the most significantly upregulated and downregulated lncRNAs, respectively.
• Platelet activation pathway and cardiovascular disease were identified as significantly associated pathways through GO, KEGG, and co-expression network analyses.

Conclusions:

• The lncRNAs AP001033.3-201 and AC068234.2-202 were identified as potential regulators of integrin beta-3 (ITGB3) and thromboxane A2 receptor (TBXA2R), respectively.
• These target genes are implicated in cardiovascular disease and the platelet activation pathway.
• The findings suggest that specific lncRNAs may contribute to low HDL-C disease by affecting platelet activation in the Xinjiang Kazak population, warranting further investigation.