Integrative analyses of miRNA and proteomics identify potential biological pathways associated with onset of pulmonary fibrosis in the bleomycin rat model

Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2015 Aug 1;286(3):188-97. doi: 10.1016/j.taap.2015.04.014. Epub 2015 Apr 28.

Abstract

To determine miRNAs and their predicted target proteins regulatory networks which are potentially involved in onset of pulmonary fibrosis in the bleomycin rat model, we conducted integrative miRNA microarray and iTRAQ-coupled LC-MS/MS proteomic analyses, and evaluated the significance of altered biological functions and pathways. We observed that alterations of miRNAs and proteins are associated with the early phase of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis, and identified potential target pairs by using ingenuity pathway analysis. Using the data set of these alterations, it was demonstrated that those miRNAs, in association with their predicted target proteins, are potentially involved in canonical pathways reflective of initial epithelial injury and fibrogenic processes, and biofunctions related to induction of cellular development, movement, growth, and proliferation. Prediction of activated functions suggested that lung cells acquire proliferative, migratory, and invasive capabilities, and resistance to cell death especially in the very early phase of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis. The present study will provide new insights for understanding the molecular pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Keywords: Bleomycin; Proteomics; Pulmonary fibrosis; miRNA microarray.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bleomycin / toxicity*
  • Disease Models, Animal*
  • Gene Regulatory Networks / drug effects
  • Gene Regulatory Networks / physiology
  • Male
  • MicroRNAs / biosynthesis*
  • MicroRNAs / genetics
  • Proteomics / methods*
  • Pulmonary Fibrosis / chemically induced*
  • Pulmonary Fibrosis / genetics
  • Pulmonary Fibrosis / metabolism*
  • Random Allocation
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Signal Transduction / physiology

Substances

  • MicroRNAs
  • Bleomycin