Rat Life Cycle Kidney miRNA Expression Data. Rattus norvegicus

Kidney miRNA expression was examined in F344 rats at 2, 5, 6, 8, 15, 21, 78, and 104 weeks of age in both sexes using Agilent miRNA microarrays. 311 miRNAs were found to be expressed in at least one age and sex. Filtering criteria of ≥1.5 fold change and ANOVA (FDR <5%) revealed 174 differentially expressed miRNAs in the kidney; 173 and 34 miRNAs exhibiting age and sex effects, respectively. Principal component analysis revealed age effects predominated over sex effects, with 2 week miRNA expression being much different from other ages. No significant sexually dimorphic miRNA expression was observed from 5 to 8 weeks, while the most differential expression (13 miRNAs) was observed at 21 weeks. Potential target genes of these differentially expressed miRNAs were identified. Pathway analysis was used to investigate the possible roles of these target genes in age- and sex-specific differences. Overall design: Untreated male and female F344 rats from 2, 5, 6, 8, 15, 21, 78, and 104 weeks of age (n=5) were sacrificed by CO2 asphyxiation, whole kidneys collected and homogenized, total RNA, including small RNA fraction, was used for miRNA expression arrays (Agilent).