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MicroRNA-21 promotes fibrosis of the kidney by silencing metabolic pathways.

ABSTRACT: Scarring of the kidney is a major public health concern, directly promoting loss of kidney function. To understand the role of microRNA (miRNA) in the progression of kidney scarring in response to injury, we investigated changes in miRNA expression in two kidney fibrosis models and identified 24 commonly up-regulated miRNAs. Among them, miR-21 was highly elevated in both animal models and in human transplanted kidneys with nephropathy. Deletion of miR-21 in mice resulted in no overt abnormality. However, miR-21(-/-) mice suffered far less interstitial fibrosis in response to kidney injury, a phenotype duplicated in wild-type mice treated with anti-miR-21 oligonucleotides. Global derepression of miR-21 target mRNAs was readily detectable in miR-21(-/-) kidneys after injury. Analysis of gene expression profiles up-regulated in the absence of miR-21 identified groups of genes involved in metabolic pathways, including the lipid metabolism pathway regulated by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-? (Ppar?), a direct miR-21 target. Overexpression of Ppar? prevented ureteral obstruction-induced injury and fibrosis. Ppar? deficiency abrogated the antifibrotic effect of anti-miR-21 oligonucleotides. miR-21 also regulated the redox metabolic pathway. The mitochondrial inhibitor of reactive oxygen species generation Mpv17l was repressed by miR-21, correlating closely with enhanced oxidative kidney damage. These studies demonstrate that miR-21 contributes to fibrogenesis and epithelial injury in the kidney in two mouse models and is a candidate target for antifibrotic therapies.

SUBMITTER: Chau BN

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3672221 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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MicroRNA-21 promotes fibrosis of the kidney by silencing metabolic pathways.

Chau B Nelson BN Xin Cuiyan C Hartner Jochen J Ren Shuyu S Castano Ana P AP Linn Geoffrey G Li Jian J Tran Phong T PT Kaimal Vivek V Huang Xinqiang X Chang Aaron N AN Li Shenyang S Kalra Aarti A Grafals Monica M Portilla Didier D MacKenna Deidre A DA Orkin Stuart H SH Duffield Jeremy S JS

Science translational medicine 20120201 121

Scarring of the kidney is a major public health concern, directly promoting loss of kidney function. To understand the role of microRNA (miRNA) in the progression of kidney scarring in response to injury, we investigated changes in miRNA expression in two kidney fibrosis models and identified 24 commonly up-regulated miRNAs. Among them, miR-21 was highly elevated in both animal models and in human transplanted kidneys with nephropathy. Deletion of miR-21 in mice resulted in no overt abnormality. ...[more]

PMID: 22344686

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Project description:Rationale & objectivePrevious studies have suggested that microRNA-21 (miR-21) plays an important role in kidney fibrosis. We examined the relationship between intrarenal miR-21 level and rate of kidney function loss in immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN).Study designProspective cohort study.Setting & participants40 patients with IgAN and 10 with hypertensive nephrosclerosis as controls.PredictorsmiR-21 levels in kidney biopsy specimen and urinary sediment, quantified as ratio to the housekeeping gene.OutcomesKidney event-free survival and rate of kidney function decline.Analytic approachTime-to-event and correlation analysis.ResultsThe IgAN group had significantly higher intrarenal miR-21 expression compared with the hypertensive nephrosclerosis group (1.71 [IQR, 0.99-2.77] vs 0.31 [IQR, 0.25-1.32]; P < 0.0001), but urinary miR-21 levels were similar. Intrarenal miR-21 expression had significant but modest correlation with severity of glomerulosclerosis (r = 0.293; P = 0.05) and tubulointerstitial fibrosis (r = 0.341; P = 0.03). Patients with high intrarenal miR-21 expression had significantly higher risk for developing kidney end points compared with those with low expression (log-rank test, P = 0.017). Univariate Cox analysis showed that intrarenal miR-21 expression significantly predicted the development of kidney end points (unadjusted HR, 1.586; 95% CI, 1.179-2.134; P = 0.002). However, the result was just short of statistical significance after adjusting for the severity of histologic damage (P = 0.06). There was also a significant correlation between intrarenal miR-21 expression and the slope of kidney function decline by univariate analysis (r = -0.399; P = 0.02).LimitationsSmall sample size; uncertain cellular origin of miR-21.ConclusionsWe found that intrarenal miR-21 expression is increased in patients with IgAN, modestly correlated with the severity of histologic damage, and predictive of subsequent kidney function loss.

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MicroRNA-21 promotes fibrosis of the kidney by silencing metabolic pathways.

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MicroRNA-21 promotes fibrosis of the kidney by silencing metabolic pathways.

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