Comprehensive analysis of differences of RNA 5-methylcytosine in hepatic lipid metabolism
As living standards have risen, particularly with the widespread consumption of high-fat diets, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has emerged as the leading chronic liver condition globally, affecting nearly 30% of adults in China. Recent studies emphasize the role of 5-methylcytosine (m5C), an RNA modification, in key biological functions. Nevertheless, the connection between m5C methylation and NAFLD remains enigmatic. In this research, by leveraging RNA transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) and methylated RNA bisulfite sequencing (Bis-Seq) in leptin receptor-deficient mice, we uncovered that genes associated with hypermethylation were primarily tied to lipid metabolism. Our analysis identified 156 overlapping and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that showed significant alterations in both m5C modification and mRNA expression levels. Notably, 72 genes showed heightened expression and increased m5C modification, suggesting a positive correlation between m5C RNA modifications and NAFLD. These findings underscore the potential importance of m5C methylation in the progression of NAFLD. Overall design: Male C57BL/6J and db/db mice aged 8 weeks were purchased from the GemPharmatech ( Shanghai, China). Mice were anesthetized with 10% chloral hydrate.