Alterations in microRNA expression in a murine model of diet-induced vasculogenic erectile dysfunction.

Introduction: MicroRNAs (miRs) are noncoding, endogenous RNA molecules that regulate gene expression and play roles in response to vascular injury.

Aim: The aim of this study was to identify miRs expressed in corporal tissue (CT) and to determine whether miRs demonstrate differential expression in a mouse model of diet-induced erectile dysfunction (ED).

Methods: RNA was isolated from the CT from control mice and mice with diet-induced ED. A quantifiable miR profiling technique (NanoString) was used to determine the expression of over 600 miRs.

Main Outcome Measures: Differential expression analysis was performed using a negative binomial regression model for count-based data. Mean expression levels, fold change, and false discovery-corrected P values were determined. Candidate miRs were validated via quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Q-PCR).

Results: In control mice, NanoString analysis revealed that 181 miRs were expressed above background levels and 5 miRs were expressed at high levels. Diet-induced ED resulted in the up-regulation of 6 miRs and the down-regulation of 65 miRs in the CT compared with mice on control diet. Focusing on the upregulated miRs, we chose five for Q-PCR validation. Of these five, two (miR-151-5p and miR-1937c) demonstrated significance via Q-PCR, whereas the other three (miR-720, miR-1937a, miR-205) trended in the correct direction.

Conclusions: MiRs may play a significant role in mRNA regulation in CT and specific miRs may be involved in diet-induced vasculogenic ED. Future studies are aimed at determining the mRNA targets of these miRs.