Knockdown of RNA editing proteins reshapes the HepaRG transcriptome and pharmacogene expression
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ABSTRACT: The RNA-editing proteins, ADAR and ADARB1, regulate gene expression through editing-dependent and editing-independent mechanisms. Both proteins have been shown to have essential functions in the liver, including regulating the expression of drug-metabolizing enzymes. Here, using RNA-Seq, we profiled widespread changes to the hepatic transcriptome after knockdown (KD) of either ADAR or ADARB1 in HepaRG cells. Nearly a thousand pharmacogenes had altered expression or alternative splicing across both KDs, with splice isoform switches occurring for both HNF4A and CYP2C9. The two ADAR proteins largely affected different sets of genes, with KD of ADAR having more widespread effects than KD of ADARB1. Subsequent analyses of differential editing indicated that most transcriptomic alterations were independent of RNA editing. As KD of ADAR stimulates a type I interferon response; we compared changes to gene expression between siADAR and IFNα treatment. While both conditions triggered interferon signaling, their transcriptional fingerprints differed substantially; nevertheless, 70% of the genes dysregulated by ADAR KD were restored by BX795, an inhibitor of the type I response, supporting that many of the effects of siADAR were related to the induction of an immune pathway. Overall, our results suggest that the ADARs play key roles in maintaining liver homeostasis and the expression of many pharmacogenes, especially those involved in drug metabolism and disposition.
ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens
PROVIDER: GSE309947 | GEO | 2026/03/02
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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