Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 2, 2025
Detection of MicroRNA Expression in the Kidneys of Immunoglobulin A Nephropathic Mice
Published on: July 8, 2020
Urinary miR-16-5p can be used as a potential marker of endocapillary hypercellularity in IgA nephropathy
Meng Zhang1,2, Zhi-Yu Duan1,2, Qiu-Yue Zhang1,2
1Medical School of Chinese PLA, Beijing, 100853, China.
Abstract:
The most prevalent primary glomerulonephritis and leading cause of end-stage renal disease worldwide is IgA nephropathy (IgAN). More and more studies are describing urinary microRNA (miRNA) as a non-invasive marker for a variety of renal diseases. We screened candidate miRNAs based on data from three published IgAN urinary sediment miRNAs chips. In separate confirmation and validation cohorts, we included 174 IgAN patients, 100 patients with other nephropathies as disease controls (DC), and 97 normal controls (NC) for quantitative real-time PCR. A total of three candidate miRNAs, miR-16-5p, Let-7g-5p, miR-15a-5p were obtained. In both the confirmation and validation cohorts, these miRNAs levels were considerably higher in the IgAN than in NC, with miR-16-5p significantly higher than in DC. The area under the ROC curve for urinary miR-16-5p levels was 0.73. Correlation analysis suggested that miR-16-5p was positively correlated with endocapillary hypercellularity (r = 0.164 p = 0.031). When miR-16-5p was combined with eGFR, proteinuria and C4, the AUC value for predicting endocapillary hypercellularity was 0.726. By following the renal function of patients with IgAN, the levels of miR-16-5p were noticeably higher in the IgAN progressors than in the non- progressors (p = 0.036). Urinary sediment miR-16-5p can be used as noninvasive biomarkers for the assessment of endocapillary hypercellularity and diagnosis of IgA nephropathy. Furthermore, urinary miR-16-5p may be predictors of renal progression.
Insights
Urinary microRNA (miRNA) miR-16-5p shows promise as a non-invasive biomarker for diagnosing IgA nephropathy (IgAN) and assessing kidney disease progression. Higher levels of miR-16-5p correlate with disease severity and predict future renal decline.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Molecular Biology
- Biomarker Discovery
Background:
- Immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) is the most common primary glomerulonephritis and a leading cause of end-stage renal disease globally.
- Urinary microRNAs (miRNAs) are emerging as non-invasive biomarkers for various kidney diseases.
- Identifying reliable biomarkers for IgAN diagnosis and prognosis is crucial for patient management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and validate urinary miRNAs as non-invasive diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for IgA nephropathy.
- To assess the correlation of candidate miRNAs with clinicopathological features and renal function in IgAN patients.
Main Methods:
- Screening of candidate miRNAs from published IgAN urinary sediment miRNA chip data.
- Quantitative real-time PCR validation in confirmation (174 IgAN, 100 disease controls, 97 normal controls) and validation cohorts.
- Correlation analysis with clinicopathological parameters (endocapillary hypercellularity, eGFR, proteinuria, C4) and renal function follow-up.
Main Results:
- Three candidate miRNAs (miR-16-5p, Let-7g-5p, miR-15a-5p) were identified, with significantly higher levels in IgAN patients compared to normal controls.
- Urinary miR-16-5p levels were significantly higher in IgAN patients than disease controls (AUC=0.73).
- miR-16-5p positively correlated with endocapillary hypercellularity and was higher in IgAN progressors, suggesting prognostic value.
Conclusions:
- Urinary sediment miR-16-5p serves as a potential non-invasive biomarker for assessing endocapillary hypercellularity and diagnosing IgA nephropathy.
- Urinary miR-16-5p may act as a predictor of renal function decline in IgAN patients.
