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Updated: Oct 18, 2025
Quantitative Real-Time PCR Evaluation of microRNA Expressions in Mouse Kidney with Unilateral Ureteral Obstruction
Published on: August 27, 2020
Identification of circular RNA expression profiles in renal fibrosis induced by obstructive injury
Jiangju Huang1,2, Zhihao Zhang1, Benquan Liu1
1Department of Anesthesiology, The First People's Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, China.
Introduction:
Advancing renal fibrosis is the common histopathological feature of chronic obstructive nephropathy, representing the final pathway of nearly all chronic and progressive nephropathies. Increasing evidences suggest that circular RNAs (circRNAs) are crucial regulatory molecules present at virtually every level of the cellular pathophysiological process. Nonetheless, there are a few evidences for the role of circRNAs in renal fibrosis induced by obstructive nephropathy.
Aims:
We performed RNA-seq analysis to analyze the expression profiles of circRNAs in the obstructed kidneys to identify the potential circRNAs and their network.
Methods:
With silk ligated the left ureter to establish a mice unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) model. Renal tissue circRNAs were obtained and were screened by a circRNA microarray. The circRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory network and the target genes were visualized using Cytoscape software.
Results:
The microarray results showed that 5454 and 2935 circRNAs were detected in the control and UUO group, respectively. There were 605 circRNAs up-regulated and 745 circRNAs down-regulated in the obstructive kidneys. The top 5 up-regulated and down-regulated circRNAs were chosen for predicting the circRNA/miRNA/target mRNAs triple network. The GO (Gene Ontology) and KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) analysis showed that these circRNAs and the triple network were enriched in the process of apoptosis, p53 signaling pathway, cell growth and cell death, which might participate in the pathogenesis of obstructive nephrology.
Conclusion:
Our results show that the dis-regulated circRNAs might play crucial roles in the pathogenesis of obstructive nephropathy, which proceeds to identify novel therapeutic targets for chronic kidney disease.
Insights
Dissecting circular RNAs (circRNAs) in obstructive nephropathy reveals dysregulated expression and networks. These findings identify potential therapeutic targets for chronic kidney disease progression.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Genomics
- Renal Pathology
Background:
- Renal fibrosis is a hallmark of chronic obstructive nephropathy, a common endpoint for progressive kidney diseases.
- Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are increasingly recognized as key regulators in cellular processes, but their role in obstructive nephropathy-induced renal fibrosis remains underexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the expression profiles of circRNAs in obstructed kidneys using RNA-sequencing.
- To identify potential circRNAs and map their regulatory networks involved in obstructive nephropathy.
Main Methods:
- A unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) mouse model was established by ligating the left ureter.
- circRNAs from renal tissues were screened using a circRNA microarray.
- circRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory networks and target genes were visualized with Cytoscape software.
Main Results:
- Microarray analysis detected 5454 circRNAs in controls and 2935 in the UUO group.
- 605 circRNAs were upregulated, and 745 were downregulated in obstructed kidneys.
- Gene Ontology and KEGG analyses indicated enrichment in apoptosis, p53 signaling, cell growth, and cell death pathways.
Conclusions:
- Dysregulated circRNAs play significant roles in the pathogenesis of obstructive nephropathy.
- These findings highlight novel therapeutic targets for managing chronic kidney disease.
