Comprehensive Analysis of Long Non-coding RNA,miRNA，and mRNA-associated Competitive Endogenous RNA Networks in the Peripheral Blood of Preterm Infants with Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia

Abstract

Background: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a complex disorder resulting from interactions between genes and the environment. The precise molecular etiology of BPD remains unclear. This study aimed to determine potential biomarkers and possible therapeutic targets of BPD through competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network analysis and lay the foundation for future clinical research. Methods: First, we downloaded the mRNA, miRNA, and long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) expression profiles of patients with BPD from the Comprehensive Gene Expression Database. We identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs), followed by functional enrichment analysis, construction of a protein-protein interaction network, and construction of ceRNA network. Results: We obtained1286 DEGs, 77 differentially expressed miRNAs, and 104 differentially expressed lncRNAs. Functional enrichment analysis showed that DEGs were mainly involved in B-cell receptor signaling pathways, asthma, FcRI signaling pathways, cell apoptosis, the intestinal immune network that produces IgA, and Th17 cell differentiation signaling pathways. We constructed ceRNA network based on the predicted relationship between lncRNA-miRNA and mRNA-miRNA, including 6 lncRNAs, 11 miRNAs, and 56 mRNAs. Conclusion: Through ceRNA network analysis, we identified six new lncRNAs that are potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets of BPD, thus opening up a new horizon for the prevention and treatment of BPD.