Small RNA Sequencing facilitates quantitative analysis of miRNA expression in feces from mice during DSS-induced colitis and the recovery phase

Mice were exposed to 2.5% DSS (MW 36,000–50,000, MP Biomedicals) prepared in autoclaved drinking water for five days, after which they were provided DSS-free drinking water for 13 days. On day 12, 16.7% of mice (20 of 120) whose body weight returned to the same level as on day 1 (the change of body weight was less than 0.5 g) and exhibited an DAI of 0 or 1.00, were used as “well-recovered” mice. To identify which fecal miRNAs were affected during DSS-induced colitis and the recovery phase, we performed small RNA sequencing in feces obtained from well-recovered mice on days 0, 5, and 12 of the treatment regimen. Fecal miRNA profiles of mice before inflammation (n=4), acute inflammatory phase (n=3), and the recovery phase (n=4) were generated by Small RNA Sequencing