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Updated: Oct 15, 2025
mirMachine: A One-Stop Shop for Plant miRNA Annotation
Published on: May 1, 2021
Integrative analysis of miRNA-mRNA network in idiopathic membranous nephropathy by bioinformatics analysis
Wenfang He1,2, Jinshi Zhang2, Shizhu Yuan2
1Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Anhui, China.
Background:
Currently, several specific antigens, M-type receptor for secretory phospholipase A2(PLA2R1), thrombospondin type-1 domain-containing 7A(THSD7A), and neural epidermal growth factor-like 1 protein (NELL-1), are discovered associated with the onset of idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN). But the pathomechanisms of IMN still need to be further claried. Understanding the mechanisms of IMN is required to improve its diagnosis and treatment.
Methods:
In this study, we constructed miRNA regulatory networks to investigate IMN development. Moreover, miRNAs and mRNAs that were differentially expressed between Idiopathic Membranous Nephropathy (IMN) patients and normal controls were examined using the GSE115857 dataset and our previous sequence study. DE miRNA target genes were determined based on the FUNRICH software, starBase, miRDB, and miRWalk, and an miRNA-mRNA network was designed using DE-mRNAs that were negatively correlated with DE-miRNAs. The miRNA-mRNA network contained 228 miRNA-mRNA pairs. Thereafter, we conducted KEGG pathway, GO functional annotation, immune-related gene screening, protein interaction networks, and potential hub gene analyses. Furthermore, 10 miRNAs and 10 genes were determined and preliminarily validated using the validation dataset from GEO. Finally, we identified which pair may offer more accurate diagnosis and therapeutic targets for IMN.
Results:
Two miRNA-mRNA pairs, miR-155-5p-FOS and miR-146a-5p-BTG2, were differentially expressed in IMN, indicating that these genes may affect IMN through immune processes. These findings may offer more accurate diagnoses and therapeutic targets for IMN.
Insights
This study identifies two key microRNA-messenger RNA pairs, miR-155-5p-FOS and miR-146a-5p-BTG2, involved in idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN) pathogenesis and immune processes for improved diagnosis and treatment.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Molecular Biology
- Immunology
Background:
- Idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN) is associated with specific antigens like PLA2R1, THSD7A, and NELL-1.
- The precise pathomechanisms underlying IMN remain incompletely understood.
- Clarifying IMN mechanisms is crucial for advancing diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of microRNA (miRNA) regulatory networks in IMN development.
- To identify differentially expressed miRNAs and messenger RNAs (mRNAs) in IMN patients.
- To discover potential diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for IMN.
Main Methods:
- Construction of miRNA-mRNA regulatory networks using bioinformatics tools.
- Differential expression analysis of miRNAs and mRNAs in IMN patients versus controls.
- Pathway and functional enrichment analyses (KEGG, GO), immune gene screening, and protein-protein interaction network construction.
Main Results:
- Two significant miRNA-mRNA pairs, miR-155-5p-FOS and miR-146a-5p-BTG2, were identified as differentially expressed in IMN.
- These identified pairs are implicated in immune-related processes contributing to IMN.
- Preliminary validation of 10 miRNAs and 10 genes was performed using a validation dataset.
Conclusions:
- The identified miRNA-mRNA pairs, particularly miR-155-5p-FOS and miR-146a-5p-BTG2, show potential as diagnostic markers for IMN.
- These pairs may represent novel therapeutic targets for managing IMN.
- Further research into these molecular interactions can enhance IMN diagnosis and treatment strategies.
