Whole-transcriptome screening reveals the regulatory targets and functions of long non-coding RNA H19 in epileptic rats.

Understanding the molecular mechanisms mediating epileptogenesis may lead to the development of preventative therapies against epilepsy. Our previous study demonstrated that the long non-coding RNA H19 contributes to epileptogenesis by aggravating status epilepticus-induced neuronal loss, glial cell activation, mossy fiber sprouting, and cognitive impairments in epileptic rats. However, the systematic functions and downstream targets of H19 associated with epileptogenesis are still unknown. In the present study, high-throughput microarray analysis was used to explore the influence of H19 on gene expression in an epileptic rat model. A large number of genes were differentially expressed at the transcriptional level when H19 was overexpressed or knocked down. Series test of cluster analysis further distinguished genes associated with H19. Function and pathway analyses demonstrated that H19 has diverse functions related to epileptogenesis, including demyelination, immune and inflammatory responses, cell apoptosis, and activation of MAPK. This study implicates H19 in a broad spectrum of epileptogenic processes, thereby providing a range of targets for further mechanistic investigations.