Reconstruction of circRNA-miRNA-mRNA associated ceRNA networks reveal functional circRNAs in intracerebral hemorrhage

Circular RNA (circRNA), a novel class of noncoding RNAs, has been used extensively to complement transcriptome remodeling in the central nervous system, although the genomic coverage provided has rarely been studied in intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and is limited and fails to provide a detailed picture of the cerebral transcriptome landscape. Here, we described sequencing-based transcriptome profiling, providing comprehensive analysis of cerebral circRNA, messenger RNA (mRNA) and microRNA (miRNA) expression in ICH rats. In the study, male Sprague–Dawley rats were subjected to ICH, and next-generation sequencing of RNAs isolated from non-hemorrhagic (Sham) and hemorrhagic (ICH) rat brain samples collected 7 (early phase) and 28 (chronic phase) days after insults, was conducted. Bioinformatics analysis was performed to determine miRNA binding sites and gene ontology of circRNAs, target genes of miRNAs, as well as biological functions of mRNAs, altered after ICH. These analyses revealed different expression profiles of circRNAs, mRNAs and miRNAs in day-7 and day-28 ICH groups, respectively, compared with the Sham. In addition, the expression signature of circRNAs was more sensitive to disease progression than that of mRNAs or miRNAs. Further analysis suggested two temporally specific circRNA-miRNA-mRNA networks based on the competitive endogenous RNA theory, which had profound impacts on brain activities after ICH. In summary, these results suggested an important role for circRNAs in the pathogenesis of ICH and in reverse remodeling based on self-protection support, providing deep insights into diverse possibilities for ICH therapy through targeting circRNAs.