The DEGs between BPD and controls identified by microarray analysis were subjected to multiple pathway analysis to understand their potential functional significance. Gene Ontology (GO) indicated that the DEGs reflected alterations in biosynthetic and metabolic pathways for several macromolecules, including RNAs. Defective RNA metabolism contributes to a variety of neurologic diseases, especially motor neuron diseases [53]. Importantly, our findings are consistent with the GO analysis of the microarray study of postmortem brain samples of BPD and controls, where Chen et al [15] reported changes in protein and macromolecule metabolic processes. In addition, these investigators also observed changes in markers of synaptic transmission. Taken together, changes in pre-mRNA processing or RNA editing of neuronal receptors and ion channels that regulate synaptic activity may be important phenotypes associated with BPD.
