Transcriptome sequencing reveals differential expression of circRNAs in sepsis induced acute respiratory distress syndrome.

circRNAs play important roles in regulating gene expression at both transcriptional and post transcriptional levels and involve in a variety of human diseases. But up to now, it is still unclear whether circRNAs are involved in the occurrence and development of sepsis induced acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). In the present research, we collected lung tissues of sepsis induced ARDS patients (n = 3) and brain dead patients without ARDS (n = 3). From the results of genome-wide sequencing, a total of 272 significantly up-regulated and 231 significantly down-regulated circRNAs were obtained. Combining the previous sequencing results in the plasma of ARDS patients, 11 up-regulated and 3 down-regulated circRNAs simultaneously in plasma and lung tissues were identified. Pathway enrichment analysis showed that the co differentially expressed circRNAs might be involved in the regulation of ECM-receptor interaction and adherens junction etc. In conclusion, these data indicates that circRNAs may involve in the progression of sepsis induced ARDS.