Role of microRNA 1207-5P and its host gene, the long non-coding RNA Pvt1, as mediators of extracellular matrix accumulation in the kidney: implications for diabetic nephropathy

PLoS One. 2013 Oct 25;8(10):e77468. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0077468. eCollection 2013.

Abstract

Diabetic nephropathy is the most common cause of chronic kidney failure and end-stage renal disease in the Western World. One of the major characteristics of this disease is the excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) in the kidney glomeruli. While both environmental and genetic determinants are recognized for their role in the development of diabetic nephropathy, epigenetic factors, such as DNA methylation, long non-coding RNAs, and microRNAs, have also recently been found to underlie some of the biological mechanisms, including ECM accumulation, leading to the disease. We previously found that a long non-coding RNA, the plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 (PVT1), increases plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) in mesangial cells, the two main contributors to ECM accumulation in the glomeruli under hyperglycemic conditions, as well as fibronectin 1 (FN1), a major ECM component. Here, we report that miR-1207-5p, a PVT1-derived microRNA, is abundantly expressed in kidney cells, and is upregulated by glucose and TGF-β1. We also found that like PVT1, miR-1207-5p increases expression of TGF-β1, PAI-1, and FN1 but in a manner that is independent of its host gene. In addition, regulation of miR-1207-5p expression by glucose and TGFβ1 is independent of PVT1. These results provide evidence supporting important roles for miR-1207-5p and its host gene in the complex pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cells, Cultured
  • Diabetic Nephropathies / genetics
  • Diabetic Nephropathies / metabolism
  • Diabetic Nephropathies / pathology
  • Epithelial Cells / cytology
  • Epithelial Cells / drug effects
  • Epithelial Cells / metabolism*
  • Extracellular Matrix / metabolism
  • Extracellular Matrix / pathology*
  • Fibronectins / genetics
  • Fibronectins / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Glucose / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Kidney Tubules, Proximal / metabolism
  • Kidney Tubules, Proximal / pathology
  • Mesangial Cells / cytology
  • Mesangial Cells / drug effects
  • Mesangial Cells / metabolism*
  • MicroRNAs / genetics*
  • MicroRNAs / metabolism
  • Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 / genetics
  • Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 / metabolism
  • Proteins / genetics*
  • Proteins / metabolism
  • RNA, Long Noncoding
  • Signal Transduction
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / genetics*
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / metabolism
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / pharmacology

Substances

  • FN1 protein, human
  • Fibronectins
  • MIRN1207 microRNA, human
  • MicroRNAs
  • PVT1 long-non-coding RNA, human
  • Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1
  • Proteins
  • RNA, Long Noncoding
  • SERPINE1 protein, human
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta1
  • Glucose

Grants and funding

This work was funded by the American Diabetes Association (http://www.diabetes.org). No additional external funding was received for this study. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.