AUTHOR=Truong Trang TT. , Bortolasci Chiara C. , Spolding Briana , Panizzutti Bruna , Liu Zoe SJ. , Kidnapillai Srisaiyini , Richardson Mark , Gray Laura , Smith Craig M. , Dean Olivia M. , Kim Jee Hyun , Berk Michael , Walder Ken TITLE=Co-Expression Networks Unveiled Long Non-Coding RNAs as Molecular Targets of Drugs Used to Treat Bipolar Disorder JOURNAL=Frontiers in Pharmacology VOLUME=13 YEAR=2022 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2022.873271 DOI=10.3389/fphar.2022.873271 ISSN=1663-9812 ABSTRACT=
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) may play a role in psychiatric diseases including bipolar disorder (BD). We investigated mRNA-lncRNA co-expression patterns in neuronal-like cells treated with widely prescribed BD medications. The aim was to unveil insights into the complex mechanisms of BD medications and highlight potential targets for new drug development. Human neuronal-like (NT2-N) cells were treated with either lamotrigine, lithium, quetiapine, valproate or vehicle for 24 h. Genome-wide mRNA expression was quantified for weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to correlate the expression levels of mRNAs with lncRNAs. Functional enrichment analysis and hub lncRNA identification was conducted on key co-expressed modules associated with the drug response. We constructed lncRNA-mRNA co-expression networks and identified key modules underlying these treatments, as well as their enriched biological functions. Processes enriched in key modules included synaptic vesicle cycle, endoplasmic reticulum-related functions and neurodevelopment. Several lncRNAs such as