RNA-seq Identifies FOS as a Potential Therapeutic Target Activating Neural Stem Cells via miR-21/SOX2 Pathway in Hypertensive Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Objective: Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a severely devastating neurological disorder. At present, there is no specific effective therapy for ICH, and its pathophysiological mechanism remains incompletely elucidated. Herein, we attempted to identify blood mRNA biomarkers, potential therapeutic targets and pathways associated with ICH via RNA sequencing. Results: Biological analysis of RNA-seq data screened numerous differentially expressed genes involved in various biological processes including inflammation, immunity and regeneration, which were systematically summarized in this study. Through bioinformatic analysis and experimental validation, we found that the expression level of FOS gene was upregulated after ICH, with the potential to participate in the proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells and promote neural recovery. Our research further indicated that Fos may be involved in the regulation of biological behaviors of neural stem cells via the miR-21/SOX2 signaling pathway, although its exact mode of action requires further investigation. Conclusion: Collectively, RNA-seq delineated the precise transcriptional alterations in peripheral blood between patients with hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage and hypertensive control subjects. These findings establish a potential therapeutic target centered on the FOS gene, which is aimed at activating neural stem cells following intracerebral hemorrhage.