Identifying Long Non-Coding RNA as Potential Indicators of Bacterial Stress in Human Cells

Abstract

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are transcripts exceeding 200 nucleotides in length that do not code for proteins. However, they play pivotal roles in various biological processes. The mechanisms by which bacterial infections induce lncRNA expression remain elusive. Our past study, we identified a unique class of lncRNAs with short half-lives, less than 4 h in human HeLa cells. These short-lived lncRNAs include to many regulatory functions, such as HOTAIR, NEAT1, or GAS5. Due to their potential influence on human biology, these short-lived lncRNAs might serve as important markers to gauge the stress from bacterial infections. In this study, we identified three lncRNAs, named MIR22HG, GABPB1-AS1, and IDI2-AS1. Their expression significantly decreased after exposure to lipopolysaccharide, simulating bacterial infection in human A549 cells. Our findings suggest that short-lived lncRNAs react to bacterial infections, with their expression levels dropping notably. We propose that these lncRNAs could act as potential indicators of cellular responses to bacteria.