Metagenomics combined with untargeted metabolomics to study the mechanism of miRNA-150-5p on SiO2 -induced acute lung injury

Acute lung injury is a significant global health issue, and its treatment is becoming a hot topic of the researchers. To investigate the feasibility of miRNA-150–5p tail vein injection in the treatment of SiO₂-induced acute lung injury through the regulation of gut microbiota and serum metabolites based on multiomics technology. Twenty-four mice were randomly divided into the control, SiO₂ and miRNA-150–5p intervention groups. The SiO₂ and miRNA-150–5p intervention groups received a single intranasal dose of 100 µL 4 % SiO₂ suspension. Meanwhile, the miRNA-150–5p intervention group was administered with two tail vein injections of miRNA-150–5p (15 nmol each per mouse) on the day of successful modelling and on the third day post modelling. Metagenomics and metabolomics techniques were used to measure gut microbiota and serum metabolites, respectively. Tail vein injection of miRNA-150–5p improved SiO₂-induced acute lung injury and reduced the secretion of inflammatory factors interleukin (IL)-6, tumour necrosis factor-α and IL-1β. These conditions altered the structure of gut microbiota, which resulted in the notable modulation of eight species at the species level. In addition, tail vein injection of miRNA-150–5p considerably reduced the levels of substances, such as phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylinositol, in the glycerophospholipid metabolism and glycosylphosphatidylinositol–anchor biosynthesis pathways. Tail vein injection of miRNA-150–5p can alleviate acute lung injury. Combined metagenomics and untargeted metabolomics revealed the miRNA-150–5p-mitigated SiO₂-induced acute lung injury that occurred through the regulation of gut microbiota and serum metabolites.