title: Association of miRNA-145 expression in vascular smooth muscle cells with vascular damages in patients with lupus nephritis.
abstract: miRNAs have been found to contribute to the regulation of multiple cellular processes, including cell apoptosis, differentiation and proliferation. The patients with lupus nephritis (LN) exhibit thickened renal vascular membrane and highly proliferative vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Of various miRNAs discovered, miR-145 is essential to mediate the proliferation of VSMCs and the formation of atherosclerotic plaques. In this study, we studied the pathological and vascular damage of renal LN, and the correlation between miR-145 expression in VSMCs and the vascular damages. Serum, urine, and renal biopsies were obtained from 41 patients with active LN. The serum and urinary VEGF levels were examined to confirm the renal damage of each patient. Biopsies were stained to observe the glomerular segmental lesions, sclerosis, and to evaluate the vascular damages. The expression of miR-145 was also examined to determine the correlation between its expression and the vascular damages. The expression of miR-145 was mainly detected in the renal VSMCs and the epithelial cells of glomerular proximal convoluted tubule. Nevertheless, the expression of miR-145 reduced as the tunicae media vasorum ratios increased, indicating the development of LN inhibits the expression of miR-145. Furthermore, our studies revealed no significant correlation among renal interstitial vascular damage, glomerular damage and severity classification of LN. Therefore, we suggest the damage of renal interstitial vascular should be considered as one of the factors to evaluate the severity of the LN.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Hainan General Hospital Haikou 570102, China ; Department of Dermatology, Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital of Hainan Province Haikou 570206, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Hainan General Hospital Haikou 570102, China.
authors.forename: Wang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephropathy, Children's Medical Center, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University Changsha 410000, China.
authors.forename: Zhuwen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital of Hainan Province Haikou 570206, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephropathy, Children's Medical Center, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University Changsha 410000, China.
authors.forename: Xiaojie
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: He
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology; D008181:Lupus Nephritis / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism*; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000378:metabolism*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C541010:MIRN145 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
keywords: lupus nephritis; miR-145; renal interstitial vascular