Emerging role of miRNAs in renal fibrosis

RNA Biol. 2020 Jan;17(1):1-12. doi: 10.1080/15476286.2019.1667215. Epub 2019 Sep 24.

Abstract

As one type of the most common endogenous short noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), microRNAs (miRNAs) act as posttranscriptional regulators of gene expression and have great potential biological functions in the physiological and pathological processes of various diseases. The role of miRNAs in renal fibrosis has also attracted great attention in the previous 20 years, and new therapeutic strategies targeting miRNAs appear to be promising. Some researchers have previously reviewed the roles of miRNA in renal fibrosis disease, but numerous studies have emerged over the recent 5 years. It is necessary to update and summarize research progress in miRNAs in renal fibrosis. Thus, in this review, we summarize progress in miRNA-mediated renal fibrosis over the last 5 years and evaluate the biological functions of some miRNAs in different stages of renal fibrosis. Furthermore, we also expound the recent clinical applications of these miRNAs to provide new insights into the treatment of renal fibrosis disease.

Keywords: Renal fibrosis; miRNA.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Fibrosis
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Genetic Association Studies
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease
  • Genetic Therapy
  • Humans
  • Kidney Diseases / genetics*
  • Kidney Diseases / metabolism
  • Kidney Diseases / pathology*
  • Kidney Diseases / therapy
  • MicroRNAs / genetics*
  • RNA Interference

Substances

  • MicroRNAs

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [Grant No. 81860130]; Chinese Postdoctoral Science Foundation [Grant No.2018M633659XB]; Special fund project of science and technology in Guangdong Province [Grant No.2017B020247035]; and Guangzhou Science and Technology Project [Grant No.201804010068].