Effects of Qi Teng Xiao Zhuo granules on circRNA expression profiles in rats with chronic glomerulonephritis

Objectives: To screen and study circular RNA (circRNA) expression profiles in QTXZG-mediated treatment of chronic glomerulonephritis (CGN) induced by adriamycin in rats and to research the possible roles and molecular mechanisms of QTXZG. Materials and methods: Next-generation RNA sequencing was used to identify circRNA expression profiles in CGN after QTXZG treatment compared with a CGN model group and a control group. Bioinformatics analysis was performed to predict potential target miRNAs and mRNAs. GO and pathway analyses for potential target mRNAs were used to explore the potential roles of differentially expressed (DE) circRNAs. Results: We identified 31 and 21 significantly DE circRNAs between the model group vs the control group and the model group vs the QTXZG group, respectively. Four circRNAs that resulted from the establishment of the CGN model were reversed following treatment with QTXZG. Further analysis revealed that these four circRNAs may play important roles in the development of CGN. Conclusions: This study elucidated the comprehensive expression profile of circRNAs in CGN rats after QTXZG treatment for the first time. Analysis of the circRNA–miRNA–mRNA–ceRNA network to determine potential function provided a comprehensive understanding of circRNAs that may be involved in the development of CGN. The current study indicated that therapeutic effects of QTXZG on CGN may be due to regulation of circRNA expression.