title: The long noncoding RNA Tug1 connects metabolic changes with kidney disease in podocytes.
abstract: An increasing amount of evidence suggests that metabolic alterations play a key role in chronic kidney disease (CKD) pathogenesis. In this issue of the JCI, Long et al. report that the long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) taurine-upregulated 1 (Tug1) contributes to CKD development. The authors show that Tug1 regulates mitochondrial function in podocytes by epigenetic targeting of expression of the transcription factor PPARγ coactivator 1α (PGC-1α, encoded by Ppargc1a). Transgenic overexpression of Tug1 specifically in podocytes ameliorated diabetes-induced CKD in mice. Together, these results highlight an important connection between lncRNA-mediated metabolic alterations in podocytes and kidney disease development.
authors.forename: Szu Yuan
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Katalin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Susztak
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D051379:Mice; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000071248:Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D050199:Podocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D062085:RNA, Long Noncoding / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051436:Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D019076:Transgenes
chemical_list: D000071248:Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha; C485290:Ppargc1a protein, mouse; D062085:RNA, Long Noncoding; C000619856:long non-coding RNA TUG1, mouse