mRNA expression profiling and pathway analysis of chronic intermittent hypoxia-induced pancreatic injury in ob/ob

Yaopeng Guo1, Shengquan Huang2, Jiayi Lin1

  • 1Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, China.

PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Messenger RNA (mRNA) changes in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) linked to pancreatic injury were identified. Chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) in mice revealed 646 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), implicating the NOD-like receptor pathway.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Pathophysiology
  • Genomics

Background:

  • Messenger RNA (mRNA) plays a role in various diseases.
  • The specific role of mRNA in pancreatic injury due to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is not fully understood.
  • This study investigates mRNA expression changes in a mouse model of chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) to understand OSA-associated pancreatic injury.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize mRNA expression alterations in pancreatic tissue under chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) conditions.
  • To identify key molecular pathways involved in OSA-related pancreatic dysfunction.
  • To provide insights into the mechanisms of pancreatic injury in the context of OSA.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized an ob/ob mouse model subjected to CIH to induce pancreatic injury.
  • Employed RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to identify differentially expressed mRNAs (DEGs).
  • Performed Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses.
  • Validated selected DEGs using reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) and constructed a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network.

Main Results:

  • Identified a total of 646 DEGs in the CIH mouse model, with 481 mRNAs upregulated and 165 downregulated.
  • KEGG pathway analysis highlighted the NOD-like receptor signaling pathway as significantly implicated in CIH-induced pancreatic dysfunction.
  • Validated key DEGs and constructed a PPI network to illustrate molecular interactions.

Conclusions:

  • The study identified significant mRNA expression changes in the pancreas due to CIH, relevant to OSA.
  • The findings suggest the NOD-like receptor signaling pathway is a key player in OSA-associated pancreatic injury.
  • These results offer perspectives on the pathophysiology of OSA-induced diabetes mellitus.