先天性脊柱侧凸（CS）是由于中轴骨在胚胎期发育异常产生的脊柱畸形，妊娠早期维生素A缺乏(VAD)可影响胚胎体节形成，进而导致椎体发育异常。前期我们发现孕早期VAD母鼠可产生合并CS的新生鼠。竞争性内源RNA（ceRNA）作为一种RNA分子间的调控机制，可能参与调控VAD所致体节发育的异常，进而导致CS的发生。本研究以“孕早期维生素A缺乏介导ceRNA网络失调参与先天性脊柱侧凸的发病”为假说，应用转录物组高通量测序，结合生物信息学分析筛选出差异性表达的RNA，初步构建与疾病相关的ceRNA调控网络。并在细胞水平及动物模型中进行功能验证，拟从环境因素-动物模型-ceRNA调控-临床表型多个层次，探究孕早期VAD致CS中体节发育异常相关的分子机制。本研究将为CS的预防、早期诊治提供新的思路和靶点。

Congenital scoliosis (CS) is caused by anomalous development of vertebrae. Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) in early gestation can affect the formation of somitogenesis and lead to abnormal development of vertebrae during embryogenesis. We previously reported that VAD in pregnancy induced congenital spinal deformities in the postnatal rats. We herein hypothesized that dysregulation of competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs), a novel type of regulatory RNAs, could take part in abnormal somitogenesis and thereby contributing to CS. To test this hypothesis, transcriptome sequencing and bioinformatic analysis were conducted to explore the ceRNA expression profiles in rat embryos with or without VAD. Functional studies will be used to detect the molecular function and mechanism of specific ceRNAs in CS in vitro and in vivo. The aim of our study is to identify the related ceRNAs underlying the pathogenesis and for the prognostication of CS. Currently, the related research about VAD-ceRNA regulatory networks in CS remains largely unknown. This study will provide new insight into the pathogenesis of CS and pave a new way for the early diagnosis, treatment and prevention of CS.