PLoS ONE (Jan 2013)

Urinary exosomal microRNAs in incipient diabetic nephropathy.

  • Federica Barutta,
  • Marinella Tricarico,
  • Alessandro Corbelli,
  • Laura Annaratone,
  • Silvia Pinach,
  • Serena Grimaldi,
  • Graziella Bruno,
  • Daniela Cimino,
  • Daniela Taverna,
  • Maria Chiara Deregibus,
  • Maria Pia Rastaldi,
  • Paolo Cavallo Perin,
  • Gabriella Gruden

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0073798
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 8, no. 11
p. e73798

Abstract

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MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a class of small non-protein-encoding RNAs, regulate gene expression via suppression of target mRNAs. MiRNAs are present in body fluids in a remarkable stable form as packaged in microvesicles of endocytic origin, named exosomes. In the present study, we have assessed miRNA expression in urinary exosomes from type 1 diabetic patients with and without incipient diabetic nephropathy. Results showed that miR-130a and miR-145 were enriched, while miR-155 and miR-424 reduced in urinary exosomes from patients with microalbuminuria. Similarly, in an animal model of early experimental diabetic nephropathy, urinary exosomal miR-145 levels were increased and this was paralleled by miR-145 overexpression within the glomeruli. Exposure of cultured mesangial cells to high glucose increased miR-145 content in both mesangial cells and mesangial cells-derived exosomes, providing a potential mechanism for diabetes-induced miR-145 overexpression. In conclusion, urinary exosomal miRNA content is altered in type 1 diabetic patients with incipient diabetic nephropathy and miR-145 may represent a novel candidate biomarker/player in the complication.