Emerging role of miRNAs in renal fibrosis

Abstract

As one type of the most common endogenous short noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), microRNAs (miRNAs) act as posttranscriptional regulators of gene expression and have great potential biological functions in the physiological and pathological processes of various diseases. The role of miRNAs in renal fibrosis has also attracted great attention in the previous 20 years, and new therapeutic strategies targeting miRNAs appear to be promising. Some researchers have previously reviewed the roles of miRNA in renal fibrosis disease, but numerous studies have emerged over the recent 5 years. It is necessary to update and summarize research progress in miRNAs in renal fibrosis. Thus, in this review, we summarize progress in miRNA-mediated renal fibrosis over the last 5 years and evaluate the biological functions of some miRNAs in different stages of renal fibrosis. Furthermore, we also expound the recent clinical applications of these miRNAs to provide new insights into the treatment of renal fibrosis disease.

Keywords: Renal fibrosis; miRNA.

Figure 1.

Main miRNAs as biomarkers involved in various kidney diseases: 12 miRNAs expression are up-regulated (red) and 4 miRNAs expression is down-regulated (blue) by detecting blood and urine or kidney tissue biopsy in renal disease patients.

Figure 2.

miRNAs targeted in renal fibrosis diseases (diabetic nephropathy, AKI-induced nephropathy and obstructive nephropathy): targeting on different miRNAs can reduce ECM accumulation, inflammation, apoptosis, and so on, and thus reduce the formation of renal fibrosis in the four different animal models.

Figure 3.

Renal fibrosis mechanism of diabetic nephropathy: miRNAs and signalling pathways are involved in the pathogenesis of renal fibrosis. Ten miRNAs expression is up-regulated (red) and seven miRNAs expression is down-regulated (blue), and fibronectin, ECM, hypertrophy, EMT, collagen, and inflammatory are the main factors leading to renal fibrosis.

Figure 4.

Renal fibrosis mechanism of AKI-induced nephropathy, hypertensive nephropathy, obstructive nephropathy, IgA nephropathy and lupus nephropathy: miRNAs and signalling pathways are involved in the pathogenesis of renal fibrosis. Four miRNAs expression is up-regulated (red) and seven miRNAs expression is down-regulated (blue), and inflammatory, ECM, EMT, αSMA, fibronectin, collagen, and are the main factors leading to renal fibrosis.