Altered Expression of Differential Genes in Thoracic Spinal Cord Involved in Experimental Cholestatic Itch Mouse Model

Abstract

The spinal origin of cholestatic itch in experimental obstructive jaundice mouse model remains poorly understood. In this study, the jaundice model was established by bile duct ligation (BDL) in mice, and differential gene expression patterns were analyzed in the lower thoracic spinal cord involved in cholestatic pruritus after BDL operation using high-throughput RNA sequencing. At 21st day after BDL, the expression levels of ENSRNOG00000060523, ENSRNOG00000058405 and ENSRNOG00000055193 mRNA were significantly up-regulated, and those of ENSRNOG00000042197, ENSRNOG00000008478, ENSRNOGOOOOOO19607, ENSRNOG00000020647, ENSRNOG00000046289, Gemin8, Serpina3n and Trim63 mRNA were significantly down-regulated in BDL group. The RNAseq data of selected mRNAs were validated by RT-qPCR. The expression levels of ENSRNOG00000042197, ENSRNOG00000008478, ENSRNOGOOOOOO 19607, ENSRNOG00000020647, ENSRNOG00000046289 and Serpina3n mRNA were significantly down-regulated in BDL group. This study suggested that cholestatic pruritus in experimental obstructive jaundice mouse model is related with in the changes of gene expression profiles in spinal cord.