Application of small RNA sequencing to identify microRNAs in acute kidney injury and fibrosis

• We used small RNA sequencing to identify differentially expressed miRNAs in kidney.
• Distinct patterns were found for acute injury and fibrotic stages in the kidney.
• Upregulation of miR-18a, -132 and -146b was confirmed in mice and human kidneys.

Establishing a microRNA (miRNA) expression profile in affected tissues provides an important foundation for the discovery of miRNAs involved in the development or progression of pathologic conditions. We conducted small RNA sequencing to generate a temporal profile of miRNA expression in the kidneys using a mouse model of folic acid-induced (250 mg/kg i.p.) kidney injury and fibrosis. From the 103 miRNAs that were differentially expressed over the time course (> 2-fold, p < 0.05), we chose to further investigate miR-18a-5p, which is expressed during the acute stage of the injury; miR-132-3p, which is upregulated during transition between acute and fibrotic injury; and miR-146b-5p, which is highly expressed at the peak of fibrosis. Using qRT-PCR, we confirmed the increased expression of these candidate miRNAs in the folic acid model as well as in other established mouse models of acute injury (ischemia/reperfusion injury) and fibrosis (unilateral ureteral obstruction). In situ hybridization confirmed high expression of miR-18a-5p, miR-132-3p and miR-146b-5p throughout the kidney cortex in mice and humans with severe kidney injury or fibrosis. When primary human proximal tubular epithelial cells were treated with model nephrotoxicants such as cadmium chloride (CdCl2), arsenic trioxide, aristolochic acid (AA), potassium dichromate (K2Cr2O7) and cisplatin, miRNA-132-3p was upregulated 4.3-fold after AA treatment and 1.5-fold after K2Cr2O7 and CdCl2 treatment. These results demonstrate the application of temporal small RNA sequencing to identify miR-18a, miR-132 and miR-146b as differentially expressed miRNAs during distinct phases of kidney injury and fibrosis progression.