The transcriptome analysis of mouse fibrotic kidney tissues induced by ischemia reperfusion injury

Accumulating evidence shows that circular RNAs (circRNAs) participate in the pathogenesis of fibrotic diseases and hold great promise as diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets. However, the specific role of circRNA in renal fibrosis remains unsatisfactorily explored. Here we utilized the robust unilateral renal ischemia reperfusion (IRI) mouse model to induce renal fibrosis. The expression profiles of circRNAs, miRNAs and mRNAs were explored by the high-throughput RNA sequencing technology and validated by RT-PCR and Sanger sequencing. Bioinformatic tools revealed that differentially expressed circRNAs were functionally related to focal cellular adhesion, adhesion junctions and regulation of actin cytoskeleton pathways. Through competitive endogenous RNA network analyses we found two hub genes, circSlc8a1 and circApoE, that targeted multiple differentially expressed miRNAs and mRNAs and may exert their functions via the metabolism and cytokine-cytokine receptor pathways. Our research provides insights into the underlying mechanisms of circRNAs and circRNA-based networks in renal fibrosis induced by IRI.