RESUMEN
Abnormal microRNA (miRNA) expression has been implicated in spinal cord injury (SCI), but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on miRNA expression profiles in SCI rats and investigate the potential mechanisms involved in this process, SpragueDawley rats were divided into sham, SCI and SCI+EA groups (n=6 each). Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan (BBB) scoring and hematoxylineosin staining of cortical tissues were used to evaluate spinal cord recovery with EA treatment 21 days postsurgery across the three groups. To investigate miRNA expression profiles, 6 SpragueDawley rats were randomly divided into SCI and SCI+EA groups (n=3 in each group) and examined using nextgeneration sequencing. Integrated miRNAmRNApathway network analysis was performed to elucidate the interaction network of the candidate miRNAs, their target genes and the involved pathways. Behavioral scores suggested that hindlimb motor functions improved with EA treatments. Apoptotic indices were lower in the SCI+EA group compared with the SCI group. It was also observed that 168 miRNAs were differentially expressed between the SCI and SCI+EA groups, with 29 upregulated and 139 downregulated miRNAs in the SCI+EA group. Changes in miRNA expression are involved in SCI physiopathology, including inflammation and apoptosis. Reverse transcriptionquantitative PCR measurement of the five candidate miRNAs, namely rnomiR219a5p, rnomiR486, rnomiR1365p, rnomiR1283p, and rnomiR7b, was consistent with RNA sequencing data. Integrated miRNAmRNApathway analysis suggested that the MAPK, Wnt and NFκB signaling pathways were involved in EAmediated recovery from SCI. The present study evaluated the miRNA expression profiles involved in EAtreated SCI rats and demonstrated the potential mechanism and functional role of miRNAs in SCI in rats.