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Zhao J, Wang X, Wu Y, Zhao C. Krüppel-like factor 4 modulates the miR-101/COL10A1 axis to inhibit renal fibrosis after AKI by regulating epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Ren Fail 2024; 46:2316259. [PMID: 38345033 PMCID: PMC10863509 DOI: 10.1080/0886022x.2024.2316259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Acute kidney injury (AKI) can progress to renal fibrosis and chronic kidney disease (CKD), which reduces quality of life and increases the economic burden on patients. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying renal fibrosis following AKI remain unclear. This study tested the hypothesis that the Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4)/miR-101/Collagen alpha-1X (COL10A1) axis could inhibit epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and renal fibrosis after AKI in a mouse model of ischemia-reperfusion (I/R)-induced renal fibrosis and HK-2 cells by gene silencing, overexpression, immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry, real-time quantitative PCR, Western blotting, dual-luciferase reporter assay, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and ELISA. Compared with the Sham group, I/R induced renal tubular and glomerular injury and fibrosis, and increased the levels of BUN, serum Scr and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), Col10a1 and Vimentin expression, but decreased E-cadherin expression in the kidney tissues of mice at 42 days post-I/R. Similarly, hypoxia promoted fibroblastic morphological changes in HK-2 cells and enhanced NGAL, COL10A1, Vimentin, and α-SMA expression, but reduced E-cadherin expression in HK-2 cells. These pathological changes were significantly mitigated in COL10A1-silenced renal tissues and HK-2 cells. KLF4 induces miR-101 transcription. More importantly, hypoxia upregulated Vimentin and COL10A1 expression, but decreased miR-101, KLF4, and E-cadherin expression in HK-2 cells. These hypoxic effects were significantly mitigated or abrogated by KLF4 over-expression in the HK-2 cells. Our data indicate that KLF4 up-regulates miR-101 expression, leading to the downregulation of COL10A1 expression, inhibition of EMT and renal fibrosis during the pathogenic process of I/R-related renal fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingying Zhao
- Department of Pediatrics, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiuli Wang
- Department of Pediatrics, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yubin Wu
- Department of Pediatrics, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Chengguang Zhao
- Department of Pediatrics, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, People’s Republic of China
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Fang XD, He JK, Chen YX, Ke B, Zhu SY, Fan CQ, Tu WP, Li P. MiR-449a downregulation alleviates the progression of renal interstitial fibrosis by mediating the KLF4/MFN2 axis. Int Urol Nephrol 2023:10.1007/s11255-023-03503-6. [PMID: 36781680 DOI: 10.1007/s11255-023-03503-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Renal interstitial fibrosis (RIF) seriously threatens the health of individuals. MiRNAs regulate the progression of fibrosis. Nevertheless, the detailed function of miR-449a in RIF is largely unknown. METHODS In vitro and in vivo models of RIF were developed to evaluate the function of miR-449a. The relationship among miR-449a, KLF4, and MFN2 was explored using a dual-luciferase reporter assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation. Additionally, the pathological changes in the mice were detected using Masson staining. The mRNA and protein expressions were assessed using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and western blot, respectively. RESULTS TGF-β1 downregulated the expressions of KLF4 and MFN2 in TCMK-1 cells, but upregulated the level of miR-449a. The downregulation of miR-449a significantly inhibited TGF-β1-induced upregulation of fibrotic proteins in TCMK-1 cells. Meanwhile, miR-449a directly targeted KLF4. Moreover, KLF4 overexpression activated MFN2 transcription and reversed TGF-β1-induced fibrosis by positively regulating MFN2. Furthermore, the downregulation of miR-449a could obviously alleviate the symptoms of RIF in mice with unilateral ureteral obstruction. CONCLUSION MiR-449a downregulation attenuated the development of RIF by mediating the KLF4/MFN2 axis. Therefore, miR-449a might act as a target in treating RIF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang-Dong Fang
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1, Minde Road, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi Province, China
| | - Jia-Ke He
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi Province, China
| | - Yan-Xia Chen
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1, Minde Road, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi Province, China
| | - Ben Ke
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1, Minde Road, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi Province, China
| | - Shu-Ying Zhu
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1, Minde Road, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi Province, China
| | - Chu-Qiao Fan
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1, Minde Road, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi Province, China
| | - Wei-Ping Tu
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1, Minde Road, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi Province, China.
| | - Ping Li
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1, Minde Road, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi Province, China.
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Wong R, Zhang Y, Zhao H, Ma D. Circular RNAs in organ injury: recent development. J Transl Med 2022; 20:533. [PMID: 36401311 PMCID: PMC9673305 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-022-03725-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Circular ribonucleic acids (circRNAs) are a class of long non-coding RNA that were once regarded as non-functional transcription byproducts. However, recent studies suggested that circRNAs may exhibit important regulatory roles in many critical biological pathways and disease pathologies. These studies have identified significantly differential expression profiles of circRNAs upon changes in physiological and pathological conditions of eukaryotic cells. Importantly, a substantial number of studies have suggested that circRNAs may play critical roles in organ injuries. This review aims to provide a summary of recent studies on circRNAs in organ injuries with respect to (1) changes in circRNAs expression patterns, (2) main mechanism axi(e)s, (3) therapeutic implications and (4) future study prospective. With the increasing attention to this research area and the advancement in high-throughput nucleic acid sequencing techniques, our knowledge of circRNAs may bring fruitful outcomes from basic and clinical research.
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