{"title":"Investigation of TNF and related lncRNAs in diabetic nephropathy","authors":"Seyed Mohsen Aghaei-Zarch , Leila Mahmoudieh , Mohammad Miryounesi , Maryam Aghazadeh , Mehran Reihani-Ardabili , Marzieh Zamani , Marzieh Motallebi , Abolfazl Movafagh","doi":"10.1016/j.cyto.2025.156892","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a significant driver of end-stage renal disease, requiring kidney replacement therapies such as transplantation and dialysis. Given the critical importance of understanding the onset and progression of DN, we sought to explore the expression levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and related long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in diabetic patients with and without DN, as well as in pre-diabetic individuals, compared to healthy controls. We further explored the involvement of TNF and TNF-related lncRNAs in high glucose (HG)-induced apoptosis of human embryonic kidney (HEK)-293 cells.</div></div><div><h3>Material and method</h3><div>In the current cross-sectional investigation, we compare the expression levels of lncRNA myocardial infarction-associated transcript (MIAT), lncRNA nuclear paraspeckle assembly transcript 1 (NEAT1), and TNF in 50 healthy individuals, 50 people with prediabetes, 50 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and 50 patients with T2DM- DN. We cultured HEK293 cells in a HG condition (100 mM glucose) to establish a cellular model of DN, while HEK293 cells cultured in a normal-glucose environment (5 mM glucose) served as controls. We further assess apoptosis in HEK293 cells via flow cytometry analysis. Moreover, we evaluated the expression levels of lncRNA MIAT, lncRNA NEAT1, and TNF in HG and normal-glucose (NG) groups to investigate their potential involvement in HEK293 cell apoptosis and the pathogenesis of DN.</div></div><div><h3>Result</h3><div>Our findings reveal a significant upregulation of lncRNA MIAT, lncRNA NEAT1, and TNF in T2DM and T2DM-associated DN groups compared to prediabetic individuals and healthy controls (<em>p</em> < 0.05). Furthermore, HG conditions significantly increased the apoptotic rate of HEK293 cells. Additionally, the expression levels of TNF, lncRNA MIAT, and lncRNA NEAT1 were increased in HEK-293 cells cultured in a HG.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>In conclusion, our findings indicate a significant role for the TNF gene and associated lncRNAs, such as lncRNA MIAT and lncRNA NEAT1, in podocyte apoptosis and the development of DN.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":297,"journal":{"name":"Cytokine","volume":"188 ","pages":"Article 156892"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7000,"publicationDate":"2025-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Cytokine","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1043466625000390","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"BIOCHEMISTRY & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background
Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a significant driver of end-stage renal disease, requiring kidney replacement therapies such as transplantation and dialysis. Given the critical importance of understanding the onset and progression of DN, we sought to explore the expression levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and related long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in diabetic patients with and without DN, as well as in pre-diabetic individuals, compared to healthy controls. We further explored the involvement of TNF and TNF-related lncRNAs in high glucose (HG)-induced apoptosis of human embryonic kidney (HEK)-293 cells.
Material and method
In the current cross-sectional investigation, we compare the expression levels of lncRNA myocardial infarction-associated transcript (MIAT), lncRNA nuclear paraspeckle assembly transcript 1 (NEAT1), and TNF in 50 healthy individuals, 50 people with prediabetes, 50 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and 50 patients with T2DM- DN. We cultured HEK293 cells in a HG condition (100 mM glucose) to establish a cellular model of DN, while HEK293 cells cultured in a normal-glucose environment (5 mM glucose) served as controls. We further assess apoptosis in HEK293 cells via flow cytometry analysis. Moreover, we evaluated the expression levels of lncRNA MIAT, lncRNA NEAT1, and TNF in HG and normal-glucose (NG) groups to investigate their potential involvement in HEK293 cell apoptosis and the pathogenesis of DN.
Result
Our findings reveal a significant upregulation of lncRNA MIAT, lncRNA NEAT1, and TNF in T2DM and T2DM-associated DN groups compared to prediabetic individuals and healthy controls (p < 0.05). Furthermore, HG conditions significantly increased the apoptotic rate of HEK293 cells. Additionally, the expression levels of TNF, lncRNA MIAT, and lncRNA NEAT1 were increased in HEK-293 cells cultured in a HG.
Conclusion
In conclusion, our findings indicate a significant role for the TNF gene and associated lncRNAs, such as lncRNA MIAT and lncRNA NEAT1, in podocyte apoptosis and the development of DN.
期刊介绍:
The journal Cytokine has an open access mirror journal Cytokine: X, sharing the same aims and scope, editorial team, submission system and rigorous peer review.
* Devoted exclusively to the study of the molecular biology, genetics, biochemistry, immunology, genome-wide association studies, pathobiology, diagnostic and clinical applications of all known interleukins, hematopoietic factors, growth factors, cytotoxins, interferons, new cytokines, and chemokines, Cytokine provides comprehensive coverage of cytokines and their mechanisms of actions, 12 times a year by publishing original high quality refereed scientific papers from prominent investigators in both the academic and industrial sectors.
We will publish 3 major types of manuscripts:
1) Original manuscripts describing research results.
2) Basic and clinical reviews describing cytokine actions and regulation.
3) Short commentaries/perspectives on recently published aspects of cytokines, pathogenesis and clinical results.