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circHLA-C Plays an Important Role in Lupus Nephritis by Sponging miR-150

Junjun Luan1, Congcong Jiao1, Weiwei Kong1

  • 1Department of Nephrology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China.

Molecular Therapy. Nucleic Acids
|March 4, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) in lupus nephritis (LN) were investigated. CircHLA-C was significantly elevated in LN patients and may sponge miR-150, contributing to disease pathogenesis.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Nephrology
  • Genomics

Background:

  • Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are implicated in various disease pathologies by interacting with microRNAs (miRs).
  • The role of circRNAs in glomerular diseases, specifically lupus nephritis (LN), is largely unexplored.
  • Previous research indicated a positive correlation between miR-150 and renal chronicity in LN patients.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To profile circRNAs in the kidneys of lupus nephritis patients.
  • To investigate the potential interaction between circRNAs and miR-150 in LN pathogenesis.
  • To identify specific circRNAs associated with disease severity markers in LN.

Main Methods:

  • CircRNA sequencing was performed on renal biopsies from untreated female patients with LN class IV and normal kidney tissues.
  • Differential expression analysis identified significantly altered circRNAs in LN compared to controls.
  • Real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) was used to validate selected circRNAs, and bio-informatic analyses predicted circRNA-miRNA interactions.

Main Results:

  • CircRNA sequencing revealed 171 differentially expressed circRNAs in LN kidneys.
  • Seven out of ten validated circRNAs showed significant increases in LN.
  • CircHLA-C was significantly upregulated (2.72-fold) in LN kidneys and positively correlated with proteinuria, serum creatinine, renal activity index, and crescentic glomeruli.
  • miR-150 levels were decreased (66%) in LN kidneys.
  • Bio-informatic analysis predicted circHLA-C sponging of miR-150, with a negative correlation observed between them in LN patients.

Conclusions:

  • CircHLA-C is significantly upregulated in lupus nephritis and associated with key indicators of renal damage.
  • CircHLA-C may contribute to LN pathogenesis by acting as a sponge for miR-150.
  • These findings highlight circHLA-C as a potential therapeutic target and biomarker in lupus nephritis.
Keywords:
circHLA-CcircRNAscircular RNA profilinglupus nephritismiR-150patientsrenal biopsy

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