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Updated: Jul 21, 2026
A Quantitative Detection Method for MicroRNAs in the Kidney of an Ischemic Kidney Injury Mouse Model
Published on: September 11, 2020
Exploring Relevant mRNAs and miRNAs in Injured Urethral Tissues of Rats with High-Throughput Sequencing
Han Lin1, Shiyong Guo2, Song Li1
1Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650032, China.
Abstract:
Acute urethral injuries caused by urethral endoscopy and other mechanical injuries are the main reasons for secondary infection and late urethral stricture. However, there are no studies to explore the transcriptomic changes in urethral injury and the molecular mechanism of urethral injury, which is important for the treatment and cure of urethral injury. Therefore, we used RNA-seq and sRNA-seq profiles from normal and injured urethral tissues to identify and characterize differentially expressed mRNAs and miRNAs. In total, we found 166 differentially expressed mRNAs, of which 69 were upregulated, and 97 were downregulated in injured urethral tissues. The differentially expressed mRNAs were mainly involved in the positive regulation of epithelial cell differentiation, focal adhesion, cell adhesion molecules, protein activation cascade, complement activation, complement and coagulation cascades, and chemokine-mediated signaling pathway. Additionally, we found six upregulated and four downregulated miRNAs, respectively, in the injured urethral tissues. Notably, their target genes were involved in the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 binding, PI3k-Akt signaling pathway, and Notch signaling pathway. In summary, our results suggest that the cell damage response induced by mechanical injury activates the pathological immune response in a variety of ways in injured urethral tissues.
Insights
Mechanical urethral injuries trigger transcriptomic changes, including altered mRNA and miRNA expression, impacting epithelial repair and immune responses. This study reveals molecular mechanisms underlying urethral stricture formation after injury.
Area of Science:
- Urology
- Molecular Biology
- Transcriptomics
Background:
- Acute urethral injuries, often from procedures like endoscopy, can lead to secondary infections and urethral strictures.
- Understanding the molecular mechanisms of urethral injury is crucial for effective treatment and prevention of long-term complications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the transcriptomic alterations in urethral tissues following mechanical injury.
- To identify differentially expressed messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) and elucidate their roles in the molecular pathology of urethral injury.
Main Methods:
- RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and small RNA sequencing (sRNA-seq) were performed on normal and injured urethral tissues.
- Differential expression analysis was used to identify significant changes in mRNA and miRNA levels.
Main Results:
- 166 differentially expressed mRNAs were identified, with 69 upregulated and 97 downregulated in injured tissues.
- Key pathways affected include epithelial cell differentiation, focal adhesion, complement activation, and chemokine signaling.
- Six miRNAs were upregulated and four downregulated, with target genes involved in VEGF receptor 2 binding, PI3K-Akt, and Notch signaling pathways.
Conclusions:
- Mechanical urethral injury induces a complex cell damage response.
- This response activates pathological immune and signaling pathways, contributing to the development of urethral strictures.
