Pleiotropy of microRNA-192 in the kidney

Biochem Soc Trans. 2012 Aug;40(4):762-7. doi: 10.1042/BST20120085.

Abstract

Diverse aetiologies result in significant deviation from homoeostasis in the kidney, leading to CKD (chronic kidney disease). CKD progresses to end-stage renal disease principally as a result of renal fibrosis, although the molecular mechanisms underlying this fibrotic process are still poorly understood. miRNAs (microRNAs) are a recently discovered family of endogenous short single-stranded RNAs that regulate global gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. The recent findings from our laboratory and others discussed in the present review outline pleiotropic roles for miR-192 in renal homoeostasis and in the fibrotic kidney. We describe miR-192-driven anti-and pro-fibrotic effects via the repression of ZEB1 and ZEB2 (zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox proteins 1 and 2), resulting in changes in extracellular matrix deposition and cell differentiation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Fibrosis / genetics
  • Hepatocyte Nuclear Factors / genetics
  • Hepatocyte Nuclear Factors / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Kidney / metabolism*
  • Kidney / pathology
  • Kidney Diseases / genetics
  • Kidney Diseases / metabolism
  • MicroRNAs / genetics*

Substances

  • Hepatocyte Nuclear Factors
  • MicroRNAs