Long noncoding RNAs may impact podocytes and proximal tubule function through modulating miRNAs expression in Early Diabetic Kidney Disease of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus patients
Abstract
Aims: Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play key roles in the pathophysiology of DKD involving actions of
microRNAs (miRNAs). The aims of the study were to establish the involvement of selected lncRNAs in the
epigenetic mechanisms of podocyte damage and tubular injury in DKD of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) patients
in relation to a particular miRNAs profile.
Methods: A total of 136 patients with type 2 DM and 25 healthy subjects were assessed in a cross-sectional
study concerning urinary albumin: creatinine ratio (UACR), eGFR, biomarkers of podocyte damage
(synaptopodin, podocalyxin) and of proximal tubule (PT) dysfunction (Kidney injury molecule-1-KIM-1,
N-acetyl-D-glucosaminidase-NAG), urinary lncRNA metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1
Ivyspring
International Publisher
Int. J. Med. Sci. 2021, Vol. 18
http://www.medsci.org
2094
(MALAT1), nuclear-enriched abundant transcript 1 (NEAT1), myocardial infarction-associated transcript
(MIAT), taurine-upregulated gene 1 (TUG1), urinary miRNA21, 124, 93, 29a.
Results: Multivariable regression analysis showed that urinary lncMALAT1 correlated directly with urinary
synaptopodin, podocalyxin, KIM-1, NAG, miRNA21, 124, UACR, and negatively with eGFR, miRNA93, 29a
(p<0.0001; R2=0.727); urinary lncNEAT1 correlated directly with synaptopodin, KIM-1, NAG, miRNA21, 124,
and negatively with eGFR, miRNA93, 29a (p<0.0001; R2=0.702); urinary lncMIAT correlated directly with
miRNA93 and 29a, eGFR (p<0.0001; R2=0.671) and negatively with synaptopodin, KIM-1, NAG, UACR,
miRNA21, 124 (p<0.0001; R2=0.654); urinary lncTUG1 correlated directly with eGFR, miRNA93, 29a, and
negatively with synaptopodin, podocalyxin, NAG, miRNA21, 124 (p<0.0001; R2=0.748).
Conclusions: In patients with type 2 DM lncRNAs exert either deleterious or protective functions within
glomeruli and PT. LncRNAs may contribute to DKD through modulating miRNAs expression and activities.
This observation holds true independently of albuminuria and DKD stage