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Comparative Proteomic Analysis of Whole Kidney, Medulla, and Cortical Tubules in Diabetic Pathogenesis of Kidney Injury in Mice
Published on: May 2, 2025
796
Diabetic nephropathy--emerging epigenetic mechanisms.
1Department of Diabetes, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, 1500 East Duarte Road, Duarte, CA 91010, USA.
Nature Reviews. Nephrology
|July 9, 2014
Summary
Diabetic nephropathy (DN) treatments are limited. Emerging epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation and noncoding RNAs, offer new insights into DN pathogenesis and potential therapeutic targets.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Endocrinology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a major complication of diabetes, leading to renal failure and cardiovascular disease.
- Current therapies for DN are not fully effective, necessitating a deeper understanding of its molecular underpinnings.
- Hyperglycemia, TGF-β1, and Angiotensin II are known contributors, but novel mechanisms are being uncovered.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review emerging molecular mechanisms in diabetic nephropathy (DN) pathogenesis.
- To discuss the role of epigenetics and noncoding RNAs in DN.
- To explore the potential of these mechanisms as diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
Main Methods:
- Review of current literature on DN pathogenesis.
- Analysis of advances in functional genomics, high-throughput sequencing, epigenetics, and systems biology.
- Discussion of molecular pathways including DNA methylation, histone modifications, and noncoding RNAs (miRNAs, lncRNAs).
Main Results:
- Epigenetic modifications like DNA methylation and histone modifications play a role in DN.
- Novel transcripts and functional noncoding RNAs, including microRNAs and long noncoding RNAs, are implicated in DN.
- These mechanisms mediate the effects of growth factors, increasing extracellular matrix and inflammatory gene expression.
Conclusions:
- Emerging epigenetic and noncoding RNA mechanisms are crucial in DN pathogenesis.
- These factors represent promising avenues for developing novel diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic strategies for DN.
- Further research into these molecular mechanisms is essential for improved DN management.
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