Abstract: Objective: To analyze the long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) and messenger RNA (mRNA) co-expression network changes induced by mtDNA3010A/G mutation in acute hypoxia, and to investigate the role of key lncRNA and mRNA in the regulation of gene expression induced by hypoxia. Methods: The genotype combinations A-C-C and G-C-C of mitochondrial DNA 3010-5178-10400 were screened, and genotypes of mtDNA3010A and mtDNA3010G fusion cells were constructed by using osteosarcoma cell treated by ethidium bromide without mitochondrion (ρ⁰206 cell) as donors. After treatment with 1% O₂ 24 h, the lncRNA - mRNA expression chip was applied to detect the differently expressed lncRNA and mRNA in two kinds of fusing cells, and fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain method was used to verify differently expressed mRNA. Bioinformatics methods were applied to build co-expression network of lncRNA-mRNA, predict target genes of differently expressed lncRNA, and the functions of differently expressed mRNA and target genes predicted by lncRNA were also analyzed based on gene ontology (GO) and the Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) forecast analysis. Results: After treatment with 1% O₂ for 24 h, compared with mtDNA3010G fusion cells: 688 lncRNAs were up-regulated, 21 were more than 2 times; 1098 were down-regulated, and 4 were more than 2 times. There were 1151 mRNA expressions up-regulated, 14 were more than 2 times, 539 mRNA expressions were down-regulated, and 3 were more than 2 times. Conclusion: MtDNA3010A/G genotype mutation under hypoxia is able to affect the lncRNA-mRNA regulatory network, and the differentially expressed lncRNA and mRNA may play an important role in regulation network of gene expression induced by hypoxia, which is expected to be a target for the regulation of hypoxia reaction from the perspective of mitochondria.

Key words: mitochondrial DNA, variation, long non-coding RNA, hypoxic response, co-expression network