Linagliptin and telmisartan induced effects on renal and urinary exosomal miRNA expression in rats with 5/6 nephrectomy

Sci Rep. 2020 Feb 25;10(1):3373. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-60336-4.

Abstract

Dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers attenuate chronic kidney disease progression in experimental diabetic and non-diabetic nephropathy in a blood pressure and glucose independent manner, but the exact molecular mechanisms remain unclear. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short, non-coding RNA species that are important post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression and play an important role in the pathogenesis of nephropathy. miRNAs are present in urine in a remarkably stable form, packaged in extracellular vesicles. Here, we investigated linagliptin and telmisartan induced effects on renal and urinary exosomal miRNA expression in 5/6 nephrectomized rats. In the present study, renal miRNA profiling was conducted using the Nanostring nCounter technology and mRNA profiling using RNA sequencing from the following groups of rats: sham operated plus placebo; 5/6 nephrectomy plus placebo; 5/6 nephrectomy plus telmisartan; and 5/6 nephrectomy plus linagliptin. TaqMan Array miRNA Cards were used to evaluate which of the deregulated miRNAs in the kidney are present in urinary exosomes. In kidneys from 5/6 nephrectomized rats, the expression of 13 miRNAs was significantly increased (>1.5-fold, P < 0.05), whereas the expression of 7 miRNAs was significantly decreased (>1.5-fold, P < 0.05). Most of the deregulated miRNA species are implicated in endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition and inflammatory processes. Both telmisartan and linagliptin suppressed the induction of pro-fibrotic miRNAs, such as miR-199a-3p, and restored levels of anti-fibrotic miR-29c. In conclusion, the linagliptin and telmisartan-induced restorative effects on miR-29c expression were reflected in urinary exosomes, suggesting that miRNA profiling of urinary exosomes might be used as a biomarker for CKD progression and monitoring of treatment effects.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers / pharmacology*
  • Animals
  • Dipeptidyl-Peptidase IV Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Exosomes / metabolism*
  • Gene Expression Regulation / drug effects*
  • Kidney / metabolism*
  • Kidney / pathology
  • Kidney / surgery
  • Linagliptin / pharmacology*
  • MicroRNAs / metabolism*
  • Nephrectomy
  • Principal Component Analysis
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Telmisartan / pharmacology*
  • Urinary Tract / metabolism

Substances

  • Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers
  • Dipeptidyl-Peptidase IV Inhibitors
  • MicroRNAs
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Linagliptin
  • Telmisartan