Microarray analysis of tRNA-derived small RNA (tsRNA) in LPS-challenged macrophages treated with metformin

• Published in: Gene 2024-06, Vol.913, p.148399-148399, Article 148399
• Main Authors: Lin, Huan, Deng, Hongao, Jiang, Zhengying, Hua, Peng, Hu, Shiqiang, Ao, Haiyong, Zhong, Meiling, Liu, Mingzhuo, Guo, Guanghua
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Inflammation; Metformin; Microarray; Transfer RNA-derived small RNA (tsRNA)
• ISSN: 0378-1119; 1879-0038
• DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2024.148399

•We confirmed the anti-inflammatory effects of metformin in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages.•We unveiled the tsRNA transcriptional profile in inflammatory RAW264.7 macrophages following metformin treatment.•We employed bioinformatics methods to predict the target genes of differentially abumdant tsRNAs (DA-tsRNAs), shedding light on various potential biological functions and signaling pathways associated with inflammation and immunity, indicating that tsRNAs may as potential biomarkers for metformin in the treatment of inflammatory conditions. Metformin, a widely used anti-diabetic drug, has demonstrated its efficacy in addressing various inflammatory conditions. tRNA-derived small RNA (tsRNA), a novel type of small non-coding RNA, exhibits diverse regulatory functions and holds promise as both a diagnostic biomarker and a therapeutic target for various diseases. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether the abundance of tsRNAs changed in LPS versus LPS + metformin-treated cells, utilizing microarray technology. Firstly, we established an in vitro lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation model using RAW264.7 macrophages and assessed the protective effects of metformin against inflammatory damage. Subsequently, we extracted total RNA from both LPS-treated and metformin + LPS-treated cell samples for microarray analysis to identify differentially abundant tsRNAs (DA-tsRNAs). Furthermore, we conducted bioinformatics analysis to predict target genes for validated DA-tsRNAs and explore the biological functions and signaling pathways associated with DA-tsRNAs. Notably, metformin was found to inhibit the inflammatory response in RAW264.7 macrophages. The microarray results revealed a total of 247 DA-tsRNAs, with 58 upregulated and 189 downregulated tsRNAs in the Met + LPS group compared to the LPS group. The tsRNA-mRNA network was visualized, shedding light on potential interactions. The results of bioinformatics analysis suggested that these potential targets of specific tsRNAs were mainly related to inflammation and immunity. Our study provides compelling evidence that metformin exerts anti-inflammatory effects and modulates the abundance of tsRNAs in LPS-treated RAW264.7 macrophages. These findings establish a valuable foundation for using tsRNAs as potential biomarkers for metformin in the treatment of inflammatory conditions.