Analysis of the role of long non-coding RNAs involved in silica-induced pulmonary fibrosis of rat

Mounting evidence suggests that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in the pathogenesis of silicosis. In this study, Wistar rats were treated with an improved intubation method to ferry silicon dioxide (1mL per rat) into lung. Rats in the control group were injected with normal saline solution (1mL per rat). Twenty eight days after exposure, we examined the rats and found the formation of lung fibrosis in rats treated with silica. We then investigated the lncRNAs expression changes in lungs of silica-exposed rats and compared with that of rats in the control group. Treatment of silica leads to 682 lncRNAs differentially expressed including 300 upregulated and 382 down regulated compared to controls. 6 rats were randomly divided into two groups, a control group and silicosis model group with 3 animals each. The two groups were treated with an improved intubation method to ferry drugs into lung under direct vision using self-made experimental equipment. After successfully setting up, the control rats were injected with normal saline solution (1mL per rat), and the model rats were injected with silicon dioxide (1mL per rat). Then these rats were fed normally for 28 days which the rat model of pulmonary fibrosis can be builded successfully. The body weight of rats in each group was monitored weekly. After treatment, the rats from each group were anesthetized by intraperitoneal injection of 10 % chloral hydrate (0.4 mL/100 g body weight). The rats lung tissues were randomly collected and stored at -80°C for lncRNA microarray expression analysis.