Identification and Assessment of lncRNAs and mRNAs in PM2.5-Induced Hepatic Steatosis

Research indicates that fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure is associated with the onset of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the most prevalent chronic liver disorder. However, the underlying pathogenesis mechanisms remain to be fully understood. Our study investigated the hub long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and messenger RNAs (mRNAs) associated with hepatic steatosis caused by PM2.5 exposure and their pathological mechanisms. The analysis of gene profiles in the GSE186900 dataset from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) enabled the identification of 38 differentially expressed lncRNAs and 1945 mRNAs. To explore further, a co-expression network was established utilizing weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). Moreover, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) databases were utilized for functional enrichment analysis. Our analysis identified specific modules, particularly the blue and turquoise modules, which showed a strong correlation with NAFLD. Through functional enrichment analysis, we identified several lncRNAs (including <i>Gm15446</i>, <i>Tmem181b-ps</i>, <i>Adh6-ps1</i>, <i>Gm5848</i>, <i>Zfp141</i>, <i>Rmrp</i>, and <i>Rb1</i>) which may be involved in modulating NAFLD, multiple metabolic pathways, inflammation, cell senescence, apoptosis, oxidative stress, and various signaling pathways. The hub lncRNAs identified in our study provide novel biomarkers and potential targets for the diagnosis and treatment of NAFLD.