Analysis of the role of miR-21 in liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy (PHx) in chronic ethanol-treated rats through in vivo inhibition using LNAs. Rattus norvegicus

In this study, we analyzed the role of miR-21 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, Vedbaek, Denmark) was used to inhibit miRNA in vivo, and rats were subjected to 70% PHx. Liver samples were collected at 24h after the surgery. The excised liver samples at t=0 served as within-animal controls. Rat Gene 2.0 ST (Affymetrix, Santa Clara, CA) arrays were used to obtain global gene expression data from pooled liver samples (pools of 3 or 4 biological replicates/array, total 8 arrays). Overall design: Gene expression was profiled in AM21 treated or untreated chronic ethanol-fed (EtOH) and carbohydrate control pair-fed (CHO) rat liver prior to (control, t=0) and 24 h after 70% partial hepatectomy (PHx).