ox-LDL刺激的巨噬细胞中circRNAs差异表达及功能预测

目的：探究环状RNAs（circRNAs）在氧化型低密度脂蛋白（ox-LDL）刺激的巨噬细胞中的差异表达情况及功能预测。方法：采用人单核细胞系THP-1，用佛波醇12-十四酸酯13-乙酸酯（PMA）预处理细胞48 h，随后给予ox-LDL 50 µg/mL刺激单核源巨噬细胞24 h构建巨噬细胞炎症模型。利用microarray芯片筛选出差异表达的circRNAs。通过qRT-PCR实验检测芯片中差异表达的circRNAs。利用CircInteractome、TargetScan和miRecords数据库预测circRNA_0007478潜在的靶基因。结果：芯片筛选结果提示在ox-LDL刺激的巨噬细胞中有5条circRNAs表达显著上调，2条circRNAs表达显著下调。qRT-PCR证实其中4条表达显著上调，2条表达显著下调。生物信息学分析推测，circRNA_0007478可通过结合miRNA-765进而影响下游蛋白的表达，发挥潜在的调控作用。结论：在ox-LDL刺激的巨噬细胞中存在circRNAs的差异性表达，circRNA_0007478可能通过结合miRNA-765调控下游基因参与动脉粥样硬化进程。

Differential expression profiles and functional prediction of circRNAs in ox-LDL stimulated macrophages

Objective: To investigate the differential expression profiles of circRNAs in ox-LDL-stimulated macrophages and predict its functions. Methods: Human monocyte cell line THP-1 cells were pretreated with PMA for 48 h and followed by ox-LDL (50 µg/mL) for 24 h to establish cell model. Microarray analysis was performed to investigate the differential expression profiles of circRNAs in macrophages with or without ox-LDL stimulation (as a control). qRT-PCR was utilized to verify the content variation of circRNAs in macrophages with ox-LDL stimulation. CircInteractome, TargetScan and miRecords websites were used to predict potential target genes. Results: There were 5 upregulated circRNAs and 2 downregulated circRNAs in ox-LDL-stimulated macrophages group, compared with the control group in the present study. We also verified that there were 4 circRNAs upregulated and 2 circRNAs downregulated in macrophages with ox-LDL stimulation by qRT-PCR. Bioinformatics analysis speculated that circRNA_0007478 could affect the expression of downstream proteins by binding to miR-765. Conclusion: There exist differential expressions of circRNAs in ox-LDL-stimulated macrophages. CircRNA_0007478 is predicted to be involved in the atherosclerosis process by binding to miRNA-765 to regulate downstream genes.