Dysregulation of miRNA regulatory networks by chronic ethanol consumption impairs liver regeneration. Dysregulation of miRNA regulatory networks by chronic ethanol consumption impairs liver regeneration

In this study, we elucidated the role of miRNA dysregulation in liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy (PHx) in chronic ethanol-treated rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a liquid diet containing 36% of total calories derived from ethanol for 5 weeks; corresponding pair-fed calorie-matched controls were fed diets in which ethanol calories were replaced by carbohydrate. After 5 weeks, locked nucleic acid (LNA)-modified oligo antisense to miR-21 (AM21, Exiqon) was used to inhibit miRNA in vivo, and rats were subjected to 70% PHx. Liver samples were collected at 6 h, 24 h and 72 h after the surgery. The excised liver samples at t=0 served as within-animal controls.NanoString rat miRNA panel was used to obtain miRNA expression profile from 48 liver samples. Overall design: miRNA expression was profiled in chronic ethanol-fed (EtOH) and carbohydrate control pair-fed (CHO) rat liver prior to (control, t=0) and 6 h, 24 h and 72 h after 70% partial hepatectomy (PHx), or at 0 h and 24 h with AM21 treatmemt.