{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,31]],"date-time":"2025-12-31T04:52:55Z","timestamp":1767156775428,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":57,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"10","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,5,12]],"date-time":"2023-05-12T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1683849600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"National Natural Science Foundation of China Project","award":["31172191","IRT_15R62"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["31172191","IRT_15R62"]}]},{"name":"Changjiang Scholar and Innovation Research Team in University","award":["31172191","IRT_15R62"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["31172191","IRT_15R62"]}]},{"name":"China Agriculture Research System of MOF and MARA","award":["31172191","IRT_15R62"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["31172191","IRT_15R62"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Animals"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Heat stress has been a big challenge for animal survival and health due to global warming. However, the molecular processes driving heat stress response were unclear. In this study, we exposed the control group rats (n = 5) at 22 \u00b0C and the other three heat stress groups (five rats in each group) at 42 \u00b0C lasting 30, 60, and 120 min, separately. We performed RNA sequencing in the adrenal glands and liver and detected the levels of hormones related to heat stress in the adrenal gland, liver, and blood tissues. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was also performed. Results showed that rectal temperature and adrenal corticosterone levels were significantly negatively related to genes in the black module, which was significantly enriched in thermogenesis and RNA metabolism. The genes in the green-yellow module were strongly positively associated with rectal temperature and dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine, and corticosterone levels in the adrenal glands and were enriched in transcriptional regulatory activities under stress. Finally, 17 and 13 key genes in the black and green-yellow modules were identified, respectively, and shared common patterns of changes. Methyltransferase 3 (Mettl3), poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 2 (Parp2), and zinc finger protein 36-like 1 (Zfp36l1) occupied pivotal positions in the protein\u2013protein interaction network and were involved in a number of heat stress-related processes. Therefore, Parp2, Mettl3, and Zfp36l1 could be considered candidate genes for heat stress regulation. Our findings shed new light on the molecular processes underpinning heat stress.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ani13101618","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,5,12]],"date-time":"2023-05-12T02:36:59Z","timestamp":1683859019000},"page":"1618","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["Identification of Key Genes Associated with Heat Stress in Rats by Weighted Gene Co-Expression Network Analysis"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Fan","family":"Zhang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Jinhuan","family":"Dou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Animal Science and Technology, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing 102206, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8537-9854","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Xiuxin","family":"Zhao","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Hanpeng","family":"Luo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3813-9476","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Longgang","family":"Ma","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Lei","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3629-2802","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Yachun","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,5,12]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"109","DOI":"10.3168\/jds.2008-1370","article-title":"Is the temperature-humidity index the best indicator of heat stress in lactating dairy cows in a subtropical environment?","volume":"92","author":"Dikmen","year":"2009","journal-title":"J. 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