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Differential Gene Expression in Diabetic Nephropathy in Individuals With Type 1 Diabetes
M Luiza Caramori1, Youngki Kim1, Allison B Goldfine1
1Departments of Medicine and Pediatrics (M.L.C., M.M.), and Pediatrics and Laboratory Medicine and Pathology (Y.K.), University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455; Joslin Diabetes Center (A.B.G., A.S.K.), Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115; Department of Genetics (J.H.M.), Institute for Biomedical Informatics, Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Perelman School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755; Departments of Public Health Sciences (S.S.R.), and Bioinformatics and Genetics (J.C.M.), University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908; Department of Genetics (D.K.), Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455; and JDRF (H.N.), New York, New York 10004.
Skin fibroblasts from type 1 diabetes patients without diabetic nephropathy show enhanced gene expression in cell cycle and repair pathways, suggesting epigenetic modifications influence DN risk.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology and Diabetes Research
- Molecular Biology and Genetics
- Epigenetics
Background:
- Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a leading cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD).
- Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying DN development is crucial for prevention and treatment.
- Skin fibroblasts offer a potential window into systemic changes in diabetes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate differences in skin fibroblast gene expression between type 1 diabetes (T1D) patients with and without diabetic nephropathy (DN).
- To explore the role of epigenetic modifications in DN pathogenesis.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study of 100 T1D participants (40 DN Controls, 60 DN Cases).
- Skin fibroblasts cultured in high glucose (HG) for 6 weeks.
- Transcriptome sequencing (Illumina HiSeq 2000) and pathway analysis (KEGG).
Main Results:
- Eight cell cycle and repair pathways were upregulated in DN Controls compared to DN Cases.
- These pathways overlapped with those upregulated by HG in T1D monozygotic twins.
- DN Cases showed a less pronounced upregulation of these pathways compared to non-T1D twins.
Conclusions:
- Skin fibroblasts from T1D patients exhibit epigenetic modifications affecting healing and repair gene expression.
- More robust pathway activation in DN-protected individuals suggests epigenetic factors are key in DN risk.
- These findings highlight the potential of epigenetic modifications as therapeutic targets for DN.
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