Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) of miRNAs in rat hippocampal tissues

We carried out Massive Parallel Sequencing (MPS) to reveal miRNA expression profiles of rats with LiCl-pilocarpine induced epileptic status (SE) in adulthood (Postnatal day 60 -P60) and infancy (P12). Hippocampal tissues were collected at 3 stages of epileptogenesis: acute (24 hours), latent (7 days) and chronic (3 months after SE) from 10 animals after SE and 10 controls in each age group (120 in total). The sequencing platform identified 666 miRNA species, out of which up to 419 miRNAs were present with the coverage of more than 500 reads altogether in individual groups (onset-age epilepsy stage combinations). We discovered that age of SE induction has impact on miRNA profile throughout all stages of epileptogenesis and infantile-onset of epilepsy leads to changes in smaller number of miRNAs. Overall design: Examination of samples from 60 animals after SE and 60 controls (10 SE animals and 10 controls in both age groups of acute, latent and chronic epileptogenesis) .