title: MicroRNAs in Diabetic Nephropathy: From Biomarkers to Therapy.
abstract: Recent estimates suggest that 1 in 12 of the global population suffers from diabetes mellitus. Approximately 40 % of those affected will go on to develop diabetes-related chronic kidney disease or diabetic nephropathy (DN). DN is a major cause of disability and premature death. Existing tests for prognostic purposes are limited and can be invasive, and interventions to delay progression are challenging. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a recently described class of molecular regulators found ubiquitously in human tissues and bodily fluids, where they are highly stable. Alterations in miRNA expression profiles have been observed in numerous diseases. Blood and tissue miRNAs are already established cancer biomarkers, and cardiovascular, metabolic and immune disease miRNA biomarkers are under development. Urinary miRNAs represent a potential novel source of non-invasive biomarkers for kidney diseases, including DN. In addition, recent data suggest that miRNAs may have therapeutic applications. Here, we review the utility of miRNAs as biomarkers for the early detection and progression of DN, assess emerging data on miRNAs implicated in DN pathology and discuss how the data from both fields may contribute to the development of novel therapeutic agents.
authors.affiliation: Wales Kidney Research Unit, School of Medicine, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University, Heath Park, Cardiff, CF14 4XN, UK.
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Simpson
authors.affiliation: Wales Kidney Research Unit, School of Medicine, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University, Heath Park, Cardiff, CF14 4XN, UK.
authors.forename: Alexa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wonnacott
authors.affiliation: Wales Kidney Research Unit, School of Medicine, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University, Heath Park, Cardiff, CF14 4XN, UK.
authors.forename: Donald J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Fraser
authors.affiliation: Wales Kidney Research Unit, School of Medicine, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University, Heath Park, Cardiff, CF14 4XN, UK. bowent@cf.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bowen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000235:genetics*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005819:Genetic Markers / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D009928:Organ Specificity; D051436:Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D005819:Genetic Markers; D035683:MicroRNAs
keywords: Biomarker; Diabetic nephropathy; Fibrosis; MicroRNA; Non-coding RNA; Therapeutics