Circulating miR-103a-3p contributes to angiotensin II-induced renal inflammation and fibrosis via a SNRK/NF-κB/p65 regulatory axis

Nat Commun. 2019 May 13;10(1):2145. doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-10116-0.

Abstract

Although angiotensin II (AngII) is known to cause renal injury and fibrosis, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly characterized. Here we show that hypertensive nephropathy (HN) patients and AngII-infused mice exhibit elevated levels of circulating miR103a-3p. We observe a positive correlation between miR-103a-3p levels and AngII-induced renal dysfunction. miR-103a-3p suppresses expression of the sucrose non-fermentable-related serine/threonine-protein kinase SNRK in glomerular endothelial cells, and glomeruli of HN patients and AngII-infused mice show reduced endothelial expression of SNRK. We find that SNRK exerts anti-inflammatory effects by interacting with activated nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB)/p65. Overall, we demonstrate that AngII increases circulating miR-103a-3p levels, which reduces SNRK levels in glomerular endothelial cells, resulting in the over-activation of NF-κB/p65 and, consequently, renal inflammation and fibrosis. Together, our work identifies miR-103a-3p/SNRK/NF-κB/p65 as a regulatory axis of AngII-induced renal inflammation and fibrosis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Angiotensin II / administration & dosage
  • Angiotensin II / metabolism*
  • Animals
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Female
  • Fibrosis
  • Glomerulonephritis / blood
  • Glomerulonephritis / genetics
  • Glomerulonephritis / pathology*
  • Glomerulonephritis / urine
  • Healthy Volunteers
  • Humans
  • Hypertension, Renal / blood
  • Hypertension, Renal / genetics
  • Hypertension, Renal / pathology*
  • Hypertension, Renal / urine
  • Kidney Glomerulus / cytology
  • Kidney Glomerulus / pathology*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • MicroRNAs / blood
  • MicroRNAs / metabolism*
  • MicroRNAs / urine
  • Middle Aged
  • Nephritis / blood
  • Nephritis / genetics
  • Nephritis / pathology*
  • Nephritis / urine
  • Primary Cell Culture
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / genetics*
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism
  • Transcription Factor RelA / metabolism

Substances

  • MIRN103 microRNA, human
  • MIRN103 microRNA, mouse
  • MicroRNAs
  • RELA protein, human
  • Rela protein, mouse
  • Transcription Factor RelA
  • Angiotensin II
  • Snrk protein, mouse
  • SNRK protein, human
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases

Supplementary concepts

  • Hypertensive Nephropathy

Grants and funding