Analysis of miRNA expression profile in lung tissues of an intermittent hypoxia rat model

We screened key miRNAs in an intermittent hypoxia rat model and explored the biological roles of downstream target genes and related regulatory pathways. We analyzed the expression profile of miRNAs in the lung tissues of rats in the 5 % (IH1), 7.5 % (IH2), 10 % (IH3), 12.5 % (IH4) oxygen concentration and negative control (NC) groups and identified common miRNAs. Multiple differentially expressed miRNAs were detected, and intersection of their expression profiles yielded 10 common miRNAs with 929 target genes mainly distributed in the nucleus. Molecular functions pertained mainly to the activation of transcription factors, while biological processes focused on cell interaction and signal transduction. Among signaling pathways, the top 5 included the LKB1 signaling, nectin adhesion, and S1P pathways. 8 of 10 common miRNAs had excellent diagnostic value for detecting intermittent hypoxia. The miRNAs binds to the target gene might play a key role in the pathophysiological process of OSA through the LKB1/AMPK and S1P/Akt/eNOS signaling pathways.