Characterization of novel lncRNA adrenal expression profiles in response to heat stress in rats

There are few studies on the genomics of heat stress response and the molecular mechanisms of thermoregulation. In this experimental model, Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to temperatures of 22 ± 1 °C (control group; CT) and 42 °C for varying durations (30, 60, and 120 min, H30, H60, and H120, respectively). Significantly high rectal body temperatures were recorded post-heat stress across all treatment groups. Adrenal corticosterone levels increased significantly, especially in H120 group. Heat stress predictive accuracies of adrenal corticosterone at H60 and H120 were higher with relatively high sensitivity and AUC greater than 0.85. RNA-sequencing of adrenal gland tissue from CT vs. H30, CT vs. H60, and CT vs. H120 identified 4, 8 and 8 known; and 72, 305 and 160 de novo differentially expressed lncRNA (DElncRNAs), respectively. A total of 61, 208, and 124 genes were found to interact with DElncRNAs in the three comparisons, of which 1, 24, and 20 were differentially expressed transcripts (DETs), respectively. Among these known DElncRNAs, Gng 2-202, MAFK-203, Rab32-201, AABR07048992.1-201 were enriched in all three comparisons. Functional enrichment and interaction network analysis of DETs interacting with DElncRNAs indicated their enrichment in pathways related to inflammation-metabolism nexus determined by DETs like Jun, Map3k5, Cyp1b1, Tiparp, Ezh2, and Cbx4. This study will supplement our understanding of the transcriptome level response mechanism of rat adrenal tissue under heat stress and provide theoretical reference for the study of mammalian body response to heat stress stimulation.