Integration of lncRNA and mRNA profiles to reveal the protective effects of Codonopsis pilosula extract on the gastrointestinal tract of mice subjected to D-galactose-induced aging

Codonopsis pilosula is a type of traditional Chinese medicine that exerts an anti-aging effect and can regulate the gastrointestinal (GI) system. The aim of the present study was to investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms responsible for the anti-aging effects of Codonopsis pilosula in the GI tract of mice with D-galactose-induced aging. First, a successful mouse model of aging was established, and Codonopsis pilosula water extract was then used for treatment. The anti-aging effects of Codonopsis pilosula on the GI tract were then detected from the perspectives of tissue structure, physiological function and cell ultrastructure. Finally, in order to explore the underlying molecular mechanisms, the expression profiles of lncRNAs and mRNAs in the stomach and intestine were examined using microarray technology. A total of 117 (41 lncRNAs and 76 mRNAs) and 168 (85 lncRNA sand 83 mRNAs) differentially expressed genes associated with the anti-aging effects of Codonopsis pilosula were identified in the stomach and intestine, respectively. Through integrated analysis of the stomach and intestine, 4 hub RNAs, including 1 lncRNA (LOC105243318) and 3 mRNAs (Fam132a, Rorc and 1200016E24Rik) were identified, which may be associated with the anti-aging effects of Codonopsis pilosula in the GI tract of aging mice. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis revealed that the metabolic pathway was an important pathway underlying the anti-aging effects of Codonopsis pilosula in the GI tract. On the whole, in the present study, 4 hub RNAs associated with these effects and their regulatory networks were found in the GI tract of aging mice. In addition, the metabolic pathway was found to play an important role in these anti-aging effects in the GI tract.