Noncoding RNA-associated competing endogenous RNA networks in trastuzumab-induced cardiotoxicity

Trastuzumab-induced cardiotoxicity (TIC) is a common and serious disease with abnormal cardiac function. Accumulating evidence has indicated some non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), acting as competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs), have been reported to affect the cardiovascular disease process. However, the role of ncRNA-mediated ceRNA regulatory mechanisms in TIC remains unclear. The present research aims to systematically investigate alterations in the expressions of all ncRNA using whole-transcriptome RNA sequencing. The sequencing revealed a total of 43 circular RNA (circRNA), 270 long noncoding RNA (lncRNA), 12 microRNA (miRNA), and 4131 mRNA were aberrantly expressed in the mice heart treated with trastuzumab. A circRNA-based ceRNA network with 82 nodes and 91 edges and a lncRNA-based ceRNA network with 111 nodes and 112 edges were established, and the core genes, miR-31–5p and miR-644–5p, were screened using the plug-in CytoNCA, which have potential roles in the treatment of TIC. Moreover, KEGG and GO analyses were performed for the genes in the ceRNAs networks. The predicted ceRNAs and bioinformatics analysis revealed the potential role of ncRNAs in TIC, which would assist in understanding the mechanism and finding effective prevention and treatment targets.