RNA-Seq of doxorubicin treated rats and vehicle control

Despite significant advancements in the oncologic field, cancer remains a major cause of concern for global health. Doxorubicin is a member of the anthracycline class of chemotherapeutic agents which remains among the most effective treatment available up to date. However, its clinical use is significantly limited by severe cardiotoxic effects. The purpose of this study is to investigate the transcriptomic alterations that occur in a rat model of doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity. Our results reveal significant dysregulation of cardiac metabolism and provide insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying cardiac damage produced by this treatment. 6 adult male Wistar rats were divided into two groups. The DOX group (n=3) was treated with weekly tail vein injections of 3.75 mg/kg doxorubicin hydrochloride (European Pharmacopeia Reference Standard, D2975000, Merck), for a total of 4 weeks. The Control group (n=3) received vehicle (0.9% sodium chloride, B.Braun) in the same manner. Heart tissue was collected and immediately placed in RNAlater Solution (Invitrogen), stored at 4°C overnight and then moved at -80°C until RNA isolation according to manufacturer’s instructions. Total RNA was isolated using TRIzol Reagent (Invitrogen) and the RNeasy Mini Kit (QIAGEN) using manufacturer’s instructions.