Mechanism study of selenium nanoparticles alleviating heat stress in rainbow trout hepatocytes by regulating lncRNA...

This study investigated the role of selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) in modulating long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) expression and their regulatory networks in rainbow trout hepatocytes under heat stress using transcriptomic and bioinformatic approaches. Exposure to 5 μg/mL SeNPs alleviated heat stress-induced damage, with trans-target prediction identifying 1360 differentially expressed lncRNAs (DElncRNAs) and 4355 differentially expressed mRNAs (DEmRNAs). A competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network was constructed based on DElncRNAs, DEmiRNAs, and DEmRNAs with Pearson correlation coefficients >0.99 and P < 0.05, ultimately comprising 37 DElncRNAs, 18 DEmiRNAs, and 14 DEmRNAs. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that target genes of DElncRNAs were significantly enriched in biological processes related to stimulus response, immune regulation, and antioxidant activity. KEGG pathway analysis indicated that these genes are primarily involved in endoplasmic reticulum signaling, potentially activating downstream MAPK, IL-17, B-cell receptor, and TNF signaling pathways. These regulatory mechanisms may enhance thermal tolerance in rainbow trout hepatocytes by suppressing apoptosis and promoting cell proliferation. Our findings highlight the critical role of SeNP-mediated lncRNA regulatory networks in mitigating heat stress, providing novel insights into the molecular basis of stress resilience in fish.