Differential expression of long non-coding RNAs in hyperoxia-induced bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a common complication of premature birth that seriously affects the survival rate and quality of life among preterm neonates. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been implicated in many human diseases. However, the role of lncRNAs in the pathogenesis of BPD remains poorly understood. Here, we exposed neonatal C57BL/6J mice to 95% concentrations of ambient oxygen and established a mouse lung injury model that mimicked human BPD. Next, we compared lncRNA and messenger RNA (mRNA) expression profiles between BPD and normal lung tissues using a high-throughput mouse lncRNA + mRNA array system. Compared with the control group, 882 lncRNAs were upregulated, and 887 lncRNAs were downregulated in BPD lung tissues. We validated some candidate BPD-associated lncRNAs by real-time quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis in eight pairs of BPD and normal lung tissues. Gene ontology, pathway and bioinformatics analyses revealed that a downregulated lncRNA, namely AK033210, associated with tenascin C may be involved in the pathogenesis of BPD. To the best of our knowledge, our study is the first to reveal differential lncRNA expression in BPD, which provides a foundation for further understanding of the molecular mechanism of BPD development.