Complex interplay of transcriptomic alterations, inflammatory cascades, and oxidative stress responses in a rat model of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy

In this edition of Gene’s “Editor’s Corner” we summarize the complex interactions of different molecular mechanisms behind the pathogenesis of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). The topic is relevant, as the therapeutic options for HIE are limited, it is important to have as much knowledge as possible about the molecular processes underlying the disease. In the recent issue of Gene (Gene 952, 2025, 149363), Wang et al. used the neonatal rat model of HIE to shed light on the regulatory processes that have key roles in the brain’s response to this type of brain injury. They exposed rat pups to hypoxia with a modified Rice-Vannucci model to induce HIE. With different molecular biological tools and bioinformatic analyses they revealed the expression patterns of long non-coding RNAs, different inflammatory cytokines, micro RNAs, and oxidative stress markers which play important roles in the pathogenesis of HIE. They found 1000 differentially expressed long non-coding RNAs in the brain tissue, which is consistent with the fact that these are critical regulators of gene expression in various neurological disorders. They also found the upregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α) and decrease of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. qRT-PCR revealed abnormal expression of several miRNAs. In addition, they found a significant decrease in the activity of superoxide dismutase and an increase in malondialdehyde in the rat brains. The presented findings by Wang et. al. are important, because they help us to better understand the pathogenesis behind HIE. Their new findings will hopefully enable the discovery of new diagnostic biomarkers and the therapeutic options, which will greatly contribute to the improvement of long-term neurological outcome of neonatal HIE.