Transcriptomic analysis of U(VI)-treated mouse monocyte macrophage RAW264.7 cells

In this study, biological effects and mechanisms of hexavalent uranium (U(VI)) damage on immune cells RAW264.7 were investigated by biological experiments and transcriptome analysis. Cell viability, cell cycle, colony formation and transcriptomes of RAW264.7 were examined after 24 h exposure to U(VI). The results showed that a marked decrease in viability and arrest of the G2/M phase after U(VI) treatment, and 1092 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were up-regulated and 1127 DEGs were down-regulated relative to the control group. KEGG data revealed that DEGs were primarily involved in the transcriptional dysregulation of the NF-kB and MAPK signaling pathway, etc. The GO classification revealed that DEGs were mainly boosted in cellular components, molecular functions, and biological processes. The trends of four DEGs assayed by WB were consistent with that of the RNA-seq. These findings will establish a theoretical foundation for future research into the immune system toxicity of U(VI).