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Fecal micro RNA Isolation
Published on: October 28, 2020
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Differences in Bacterial Small RNAs in Stool Samples from Hypercholesterolemic and Normocholesterolemic Subjects
Cristian Morales1,2, Raul Arias-Carrasco3, Vinicius Maracaja-Coutinho4
1Centro de Biología Molecular y Farmacogenética, Núcleo Científico-Tecnológico en Biorecursos BIOREN, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco 4811230, Chile.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
|April 28, 2023
Summary
Differences in gut bacterial small RNAs were found between individuals with high cholesterol and normal cholesterol. Specific bacterial small RNAs were linked to hypercholesterolemia, potentially impacting cholesterol metabolism.
Area of Science:
- Microbiome research
- Molecular biology
- Metabolic disease research
Background:
- Cholesterol metabolism is crucial for physiological functions and implicated in various diseases.
- Small RNAs play a role in the epigenetic regulation of biological processes, including cholesterol metabolism.
- Gut microbiota composition and function are increasingly recognized as factors influencing host metabolism.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate differences in bacterial small RNA profiles in the gut between hypercholesterolemic and normocholesterolemic individuals.
- To identify specific bacterial small RNAs associated with altered cholesterol levels.
- To explore the potential interaction of bacterial small RNAs with host cholesterol regulatory pathways, such as the LDL receptor (LDLR).
Main Methods:
- Collection of stool samples from hypercholesterolemic and normocholesterolemic subjects.
- RNA extraction and small RNA sequencing.
- Bioinformatic analyses including read filtering (fastp), alignment (BrumiR, Bowtie 2, BLASTn), differential expression analysis (DESeq2), and RNA structure prediction (IntaRNA, RNAfold WebServer).
Main Results:
- Most identified small RNAs were of bacterial origin, with higher overall abundance in normocholesterolemic individuals.
- Upregulation of small RNA ID 2909606 (from *Coprococcus eutactus*) was observed in hypercholesterolemic subjects.
- A positive correlation was found between small RNA ID 2149569 (from *Blautia wexlerae*) and hypercholesterolemia.
- Several bacterial and archaeal small RNAs interacting with the LDL receptor (LDLR) were identified.
Conclusions:
- Significant differences exist in gut bacterial small RNA composition between hypercholesterolemic and normocholesterolemic individuals.
- Specific bacterial small RNAs, such as those from *Coprococcus eutactus* and *Blautia wexlerae*, are associated with hypercholesterolemia.
- Bacterial small RNAs may play a role in modulating host cholesterol metabolism through interactions with pathways like the LDLR.
