Comprehensive analysis of circRNA expression profiles and circRNA associated competing endogenous RNA networks in IgA nephropathy
Purpose: Immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) is immune-mediated primary glomerulonephritis, which is the most common reason leading to renal failure worldwide, the exact pathogenesis of IgAN is not well defined. Accumulating evidence indicates that circular RNAs (circRNAs) play crucial roles in the immune disease by involving in the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network mechanism. At present, the studies of the circRNA profiles and circRNA-associated ceRNA networks in the IgAN are still scarce. This study aimed to elucidate the potential roles of circRNA, microRNA (miRNA), and messenger RNA (mRNA) ceRNA network in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of IgAN. Methods: CircRNA sequencing was used to identify the differential expressed circRNAs (DEcircRNAs) of PBMCs in IgAN and healthy controls. A circRNA-miRNA-mRNA ceRNA network was constructed to further investigate the mechanisms of IgAN. Results: A total of 145 circRNAs were differentially expressed in IgAN compared with controls (|log2 (FC)|>1 and P-value <0.05). Combined with the data from GSE73953 and GSE25590 in GEO database, a ceRNA network was constructed which contained 16 DEcircRNAs, 72 differential expressed mRNAs (DEmRNAs) and 11 differential expressed miRNAs (DEmiRNAs). Conclusion: Our study identified a novel circRNA-mediated ceRNA regulatory network mechanisms in the pathogenesis of IgAN. Overall design: circRNA from IgAN patients and control subjects were generated by deep sequencing, in triplicate.