Studies on trans-sutural distraction osteogenesis-related genes based on transcriptome sequencing

Trans-sutural distraction osteogenesis (TSDO) is an important approach to improve mid-face hypoplasia. In recent years, many studies have been carried out on physical mechanisms of TSDO; however, it’s specific cytological and molecular mechanisms are still unclear. In this study, we performed transcriptome sequencing analysis in Sprague Dawley rats at 1 and 2 weeks after suture osteogenesis and compared RNA expression levels between experimental and control groups. At one week, enrichment pathways were mainly up-regulated in muscle- and bone-related pathways. By contrast, pathways of the immune system showed a state of inhibition and down-regulation, especially for B cells; the main immune pathways showed significant down-regulation. However, two weeks later, the experimental group showed positive up-regulation of the pathways related to DNA synthesis and replication, cell cycle, and chromosome replication. At the same time, the immune pathways that were down-regulated in the first week were up-regulated in the second week. In other words, the up-regulated muscle- and bone-related pathways show opposite trends. The expression of bone- and myogenesis-related transcriptome was up-regulated and the immune-related pathways were down-regulated in the experimental group at 1 week. At 2 weeks, the pathways related to bone- and muscle were down-regulated, while those related to cell cycle regulation and DNA replication were up-regulated. These results suggest that musculoskeletal-related molecules may play an important role during suture osteogenesis at 1 week, and immune regulation may be involved in this process; however, at 2 weeks, molecules related to cell proliferation and replication may be a major role.