Differential Expression of Long Noncoding RNAs and Their Function-Related mRNAs in the Peripheral Blood of Allergic Rhinitis Patients
Yanyan Yang, Yu Zhang, Yujuan Yang, Jing Guo, Liping Yang, Chenglin Li, Xicheng Song
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The mechanism of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) involved in the development of allergic rhinitis (AR) remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the mechanism by which differentially expressed lncRNAs contribute to pathogenesis of AR. METHODS: Expression profiles of lncRNAs and mRNAs were analyzed by microarray detection from the blood samples of 3 AR patients and 3 control subjects, and the main lncRNAs were verified by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) in the peripheral blood of 16 AR patients and 18 control subjects. GO (Gene_Ontology), Pathway, and Disease analysis of differentially expressed lncRNAs and mRNAs, and transcription factor prediction analysis were performed to explore synergistic effect of differentially expressed lncRNAs and their function-related mRNAs on AR pathogenesis. RESULTS: Thirty-one lncRNAs were differentially expressed in the peripheral blood from AR patients, and 4 of the 5 most differentially expressed lncRNAs had significantly higher levels in AR patients than in control subjects by qRT-PCR analysis. A lncRNA-mRNA coexpression network analysis identified 16 pairs of positive correlations between the 4 lncRNAs and coexpressed mRNAs. GO, Pathway, and Disease analyses indicated that the 4 lncRNAs were correlated with 7 mRNAs enriched in terms of inflammation, immune response, and allergic diseases. Transcription factor prediction results suggested that Oct-1, AP-1, NF-kappaB, and c-Rel play key roles in the pathogenesis of AR mediated by lncRNAs. CONCLUSION: Our results provide new insights into how lncRNAs and their function-related mRNAs might contribute to AR.