Differential expression profiles and functional analysis of circulating small extracellular vesicle-derived lncRNA in children with fulminant myocarditis
Fulminant myocarditis (FM) is the most serious type of childhood myocarditis. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the pathogenesis of FM has not been fully elucidated. Studies have shown that small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) play important roles in many diseases, but any potential role of sEVs in pediatric FM has not been reported. Here, the differential expression profiles of lncRNAs in plasma sEVs were studied in five children with FM and five healthy children using whole transcriptome sequencing, followed by functional analysis and screening of immune-related target genes. A total of 68 up-regulated and 11 down-regulated differentially expressed sEVs-lncRNAs were identified. Functional analysis showed that the differentially-expressed sEVs-lncRNAs were mainly involved in immune processes, apoptosis, and protein efflux. Further analysis of immune-related target genes revealed that differentially expressed sEVs-lncRNAs were closely related to immune activation, immune cell migration and cytokine pathway signal transduction in FM. Thus, sEVs-lncRNAs may play an important role in the pathogenesis of FM in children Overall design: Examination of small extracellular vesicles in plasma from 5 children with fulminant myocarditis and 5 normal children.