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Updated: Dec 6, 2025
Perturbations of Circulating miRNAs in Irritable Bowel Syndrome Detected Using a Multiplexed High-throughput Gene Expression Platform
Published on: November 30, 2016
MicroRNAs as systemic biomarkers to assess distress in animal models for gastrointestinal diseases
Simone Kumstel1, Heike Janssen-Peters2, Ahmed Abdelrahman3
1Rudolf-Zenker-Institute of Experimental Surgery, University Medical Center Rostock, Schillingallee 69a, 18057, Rostock, Germany. simone.kumstel@uni-rostock.de.
Abstract:
Severity assessment of animal experiments is mainly conducted by using subjective parameters. A widely applicable biomarker to assess animal distress could contribute to an objective severity assessment in different animal models. Here, the distress of three murine animal models for gastrointestinal diseases was assessed by multiple behavioral and physiological parameters. To identify possible new biomarkers for distress 750 highly conserved microRNAs were measured in the blood plasma of mice before and after the induction of pancreatitis. Deregulated miRNA candidates were identified and further quantified in additional animal models for pancreatic cancer and cholestasis. MiR-375 and miR-203 were upregulated during pancreatitis and down regulated during cholestasis, whereas miR-132 was upregulated in all models. Correlation between miR-132 and plasma corticosterone concentrations resulted in the highest correlation coefficient, when compared to the analysis of miR-375, miR-203 and miR-30b. These results indicate that miR-132 might function as a general biomarker for distress, whereas the other miRNAs were altered in a disease specific manner. In conclusion, plasma miRNA profiling may help to better characterize the level of distress in mouse models for gastrointestinal diseases.
Insights
Researchers identified microRNA-132 (miR-132) as a potential general biomarker for animal distress in gastrointestinal disease models. This discovery could lead to more objective severity assessments in animal experiments.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Research
- Animal Models
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Current animal experiment severity assessments rely on subjective parameters.
- Objective biomarkers are needed for consistent evaluation across diverse animal models.
- Gastrointestinal diseases in mice present challenges for accurate distress measurement.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify novel, objective biomarkers for assessing animal distress.
- To evaluate microRNAs (miRNAs) as potential distress biomarkers in murine models.
- To differentiate general distress markers from disease-specific indicators.
Main Methods:
- Assessed distress in three murine gastrointestinal disease models using behavioral and physiological parameters.
- Measured 750 conserved microRNAs in blood plasma before and after inducing pancreatitis.
- Quantified deregulated miRNA candidates in pancreatic cancer and cholestasis models.
Main Results:
- Identified miR-132 as upregulated across all tested gastrointestinal disease models.
- Found miR-375 and miR-203 showed disease-specific upregulation or downregulation.
- Observed the highest correlation between miR-132 and plasma corticosterone levels.
Conclusions:
- Plasma miRNA profiling offers a method for objective distress assessment in animal models.
- miR-132 shows promise as a general biomarker for animal distress.
- Specific miRNAs may serve as indicators for particular gastrointestinal diseases.
