Next‐generation sequencing to investigate circular RNA profiles in the peripheral blood of preterm neonates with bronchopulmonary dysplasia

BACKGROUND: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are emerging noncoding RNAs that are involved in many biological processes and diseases. The expression profile of circRNAs in preterm neonates with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) remains unresolved. METHODS: In BPD infants, peripheral venous blood was drawn and circRNAs were extracted and sequenced by next‐generation sequencing. The levels of the selected circRNAs were measured by real‐time quantitative reverse transcription PCR. RESULTS: Among thousands of circRNAs, 491 circRNAs were significantly changed. Among the top 10 changed circRNAs, hsa_circ_0003122, hsa_circ_0003357, hsa_circ_0009983, hsa_circ_0003037, and hsa_circ_0009256 were significantly increased, while hsa_circ_0014932, hsa_circ_0015109, hsa_circ_0017811, hsa_circ_0020588, and hsa_circ_0015066 were significantly decreased. These altered circRNAs are involved in complicated biological functions and signaling pathways. Additionally, hsa_circ_0005577 (hsa_circ_FANCL), which was significantly increased in the moderate‐to‐severe BPD subjects, was correlated with oxygenation therapy. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that an aberrant circRNA profile in the peripheral blood of BPD infants might be important in BPD pathogenesis.