Profiling circulating microRNA expression in experimental sepsis by cecal ligation and puncture

To profile the expression of circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) of mice in experimental sepsis by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), the whole blood samples were obtained from C57BL/6 mice at 4, 8, and 24 h following CLP for miRNA expression analysis using a miRNA array (The Mouse & Rat miRNA OneArray® v3). Briefly, mice were anesthetized with a combination of ketamine and xylazine as the anesthetic/analgesic agents and a midline abdominal incision was made. The cecum was mobilized, ligated in the middle of cecum below the ileocecal valve, punctured once with a 21 G needle, and a little stool was squeeze out of the cecum to induce polymicrobial peritonitis. The abdominal wall was closed in two layers. Sham-operated mice underwent the same procedure, including opening the peritoneum and exposing the bowel, but without ligation and needle perforation of the cecum. the whole blood samples were obtained from C57BL/6 mice at 4, 8, and 24 h following CLP for miRNA expression analysis using a miRNA array (The miRNA OneArray® v3).