title: Circulating and renal vein levels of microRNAs in patients with renal artery stenosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  MicroRNAs (miRs) are small non-coding RNAs that are important regulators of gene expression and have been implicated in atherosclerosis. Kidney injury distal to atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis (ARAS) is aggravated by atherosclerosis. Therefore, this study tested the hypothesis that renal miR expression would be altered in patients with ARAS.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with essential hypertension (EH; n = 13) or ARAS (n = 13) underwent a 3-day protocol study under controlled conditions. For miR levels, blood samples were collected from EH and ARAS renal vein (RV) and inferior vena cava or peripheral vein of matched normotensive healthy volunteers (HV; n = 13) and patients with coronary atherosclerosis (CA; n = 11). Single-renal blood flow was measured in EH and ARAS using computer tomography to calculate renal gradients and release of miRs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was lower in ARAS compared with the other groups. Systemic levels of most miRs were elevated in CA. RV miR levels were lower than systemic levels in both ARAS and EH. GFR-adjusted RV levels of miR-21, 155 and 210 were reduced only in ARAS patients compared with systemic levels in HV, although cross-kidney gradients were not different from EH. RV levels of miR-21, 126, 155 and 210 correlated with GFR.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Levels of atherosclerosis-related miR-21, 126, 155 and 210 are decreased in the stenotic-kidney vein of ARAS compared with EH patients, likely due to decreased GFR. Yet, these miRs might be implicated in modulating renal injury in ARAS, and their RV level may be a marker reflecting their renal expression.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA Department of Internal Medicine, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Bucheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Moo Yong
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Sandra M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Herrmann
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saad
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Robert Jay
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Widmer
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Xiang-Yang
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lerman
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Stephen C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Textor
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Lilach O
authors.initials: LO
authors.lastname: Lerman
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D000075222:Essential Hypertension; D005260:Female; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012078:Renal Artery Obstruction / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics; D012079:Renal Circulation; D012082:Renal Veins / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; D035683:MicroRNAs
keywords: atherosclerosis; microRNA; renal artery stenosis