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Qin X, Chen H, Zheng W, Zhu X, Gao J. METTL3 modification of circStk4 affects mouse glomerular messangial cell autophagy, proliferation and apotosis by regulating miR-133a-3p/C1 axis. Cell Signal 2024; 117:111091. [PMID: 38331014 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2024.111091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The study aimed to explore the impact of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification in circStk4 on glomerular mesangial cells (GMCs) autophagy, proliferation and apoptosis. METHODS The interactions between circStk4 and miR-133a-3p, miR-133a-3p and C1 were demonstrated through luciferase reporter assays. The circStk4 localization was analyzed using fluorescence in situ hybridization and nuclear/cytosol fractionation assays. Colorimetric assays, MeRIP-qPCR, and western blot (WB) were employed to confirm the m6A modification of circStk4 and identify the key methylation enzyme. RT-qPCR was conducted to determine the impact of METTL3 on the circStk4 RNA expression. Additionally, CCK-8, flow cytometry, transmission electron microscopy, immunofluorescence, WB and RT-qPCR were employed to investigate the effects of METTL3 or circStk4 on the proliferation, autophagy and apoptosis of GMCs. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was utilized to assess the inflammatory factors. RESULTS m6A modifications were found in circStk4 and METTL3 was a key methylating enzyme. Furthermore, it was observed that circStk4 competitively bound miR-133a-3p and increased C1 levels. Silencing circStk4 resulted in decreased GMCs proliferation, increased autophagy and apoptosis, and reduced inflammation levels. Additionally, METTL3 played a role in inhibiting GMCs proliferation and promoting autophagy and apoptosis by regulating the circStk4 expression. On verifying the interplay between autophagy, proliferation and apoptosis, and found that the inhibition of autophagy led to an increase in cell proliferation and a decrease in apoptosis. CONCLUSION m6A modification of circStk4 mediated by METTL3 influenced circStk4 expression and impacted autophagy, proliferation and apoptosis in GMCs via the miR-133a-3p/C1 axis. This discovery introduces a novel therapeutic approach for CGN treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiujuan Qin
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, 117 Meishan Road, Hefei, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicinal Formula, Hefei, Anhui 230012, China
| | - Huiyu Chen
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, 117 Meishan Road, Hefei, China; College of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui 230011, China
| | - Wenjia Zheng
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, 117 Meishan Road, Hefei, China; College of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui 230011, China
| | - Xiaoli Zhu
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, 117 Meishan Road, Hefei, China
| | - Jiarong Gao
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, 117 Meishan Road, Hefei, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicinal Formula, Hefei, Anhui 230012, China.
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Qi S, Song J, Chen L, Weng H. The role of N-methyladenosine modification in acute and chronic kidney diseases. Mol Med 2023; 29:166. [PMID: 38066436 PMCID: PMC10709953 DOI: 10.1186/s10020-023-00764-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification is a kind of RNA modification in which methylation occurs at the sixth N position in adenosine in RNA, which can occur in various RNAs such as mRNAs, lncRNAs and miRNAs. This is one of the most prominent and frequent posttranscriptional modifications within organisms and has been shown to function dynamically and reversibly in a variety of ways, including splicing, export, attenuation and translation initiation efficiency to regulate RNA expression. There are three main enzymes associated with m6A modification: writers, readers and erasers. Increasing evidence has shown that m6A modification is associated with the onset and development of kidney disease. In this article, we address the important physiological and pathological roles of m6A modification in kidney diseases (uremia, ischemia-reperfusion kidney injury, drug-induced kidney injury, and diabetic nephropathy) and its molecular mechanisms to provide reference for the diagnosis and clinical management of kidney diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saiqi Qi
- The College of Medical Technology, Shanghai University of Medicine & Health Sciences, 279 Zhouzhu Highway, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 201318, People's Republic of China
| | - Jie Song
- The College of Medical Technology, Shanghai University of Medicine & Health Sciences, 279 Zhouzhu Highway, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 201318, People's Republic of China
| | - Linjun Chen
- The College of Medical Technology, Shanghai University of Medicine & Health Sciences, 279 Zhouzhu Highway, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 201318, People's Republic of China.
| | - Huachun Weng
- The College of Medical Technology, Shanghai University of Medicine & Health Sciences, 279 Zhouzhu Highway, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 201318, People's Republic of China.
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Wang Q, Fan X, Sheng Q, Yang M, Zhou P, Lu S, Gao Y, Kong Z, Shen N, Lv Z, Wang R. N6-methyladenosine methylation in kidney injury. Clin Epigenetics 2023; 15:170. [PMID: 37865763 PMCID: PMC10590532 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-023-01586-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Multiple mechanisms are involved in kidney damage, among which the role of epigenetic modifications in the occurrence and development of kidney diseases is constantly being revealed. However, N6-methyladenosine (M6A), a well-known post-transcriptional modification, has been regarded as the most prevalent epigenetic modifications in higher eukaryotic, which is involved in various biological processes of cells such as maintaining the stability of mRNA. The role of M6A modification in the mechanism of kidney damage has attracted widespread attention. In this review, we mainly summarize the role of M6A modification in the progression of kidney diseases from the following aspects: the regulatory pattern of N6-methyladenosine, the critical roles of N6-methyladenosine in chronic kidney disease, acute kidney injury and renal cell carcinoma, and then reveal its potential significance in the diagnosis and treatment of various kidney diseases. A better understanding of this field will be helpful for future research and clinical treatment of kidney diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qimeng Wang
- Department of Nephrology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250021, Shandong, China
- Department of Nephrology, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, 250021, Shandong, China
| | - Xiaoting Fan
- Department of Nephrology, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, 250021, Shandong, China
| | - Qinghao Sheng
- Department of Nephrology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250021, Shandong, China
| | - Meilin Yang
- Department of Nephrology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250021, Shandong, China
| | - Ping Zhou
- Department of Nephrology, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, 250021, Shandong, China
| | - Shangwei Lu
- Department of Nephrology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250021, Shandong, China
| | - Ying Gao
- Department of Nephrology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250021, Shandong, China
| | - Zhijuan Kong
- Department of Nephrology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250021, Shandong, China
| | - Ning Shen
- Department of Nephrology, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, 250021, Shandong, China
| | - Zhimei Lv
- Department of Nephrology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250021, Shandong, China.
- Department of Nephrology, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, 250021, Shandong, China.
| | - Rong Wang
- Department of Nephrology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250021, Shandong, China.
- Department of Nephrology, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, 250021, Shandong, China.
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Zhuang X, Liu T, Wei L, Gao J. Overexpression of FTO inhibits excessive proliferation and promotes the apoptosis of human glomerular mesangial cells by alleviating FOXO6 m6A modification via YTHDF3-dependent mechanisms. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1260300. [PMID: 37822879 PMCID: PMC10562590 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1260300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is a prevalent post-transcriptional modification presented in messenger RNA (mRNA) of eukaryotic organisms. Chronic glomerulonephritis (CGN) is characterised by excessive proliferation and insufficient apoptosis of human glomerular mesangial cells (HGMCs) but its underlying pathogenesis remains undefined. Moreover, the role of m6A in CGN is poorly understood. Methods: The total level of m6A modification was detected using the m6A quantification assay (Colorimetric). Cell proliferation was assessed by EdU cell proliferation assay, and cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry. RNA sequencing was performed to screen the downstream target of fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO). MeRIP-qPCR was conducted to detect the m6A level of forkhead box o6 (FOXO6) in HGMCs. RIP assay was utilized to indicate the targeting relationship between YTH domain family 3 (YTHDF3) and FOXO6. Actinomycin D assay was used to investigate the stability of FOXO6 in HGMCs. Results: The study found that the expression of FTO was significantly reduced in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced HGMCs and renal biopsy samples of patients with CGN. Moreover, FTO overexpression and knockdown could regulate the proliferation and apoptosis of HGMCs. Furthermore, RNA sequencing and cellular experiments revealed FOXO6 as a downstream target of FTO in regulating the proliferation and apoptosis of HGMCs. Mechanistically, FTO overexpression decreases the level of FOXO6 m6A modification and reduces the stability of FOXO6 mRNA in a YTHDF3-dependent manner. Additionally, the decreased expression of FOXO6 inhibits the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, thereby inhibiting the proliferation and promoting apoptosis of HGMCs. Conclusion: This study offers insights into the mechanism through which FTO regulates the proliferation and apoptosis of HGMCs by mediating m6A modification of FOXO6 mRNA. These findings also suggest FTO as a potential diagnostic marker and therapeutic target for CGN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingxing Zhuang
- Department of Pharmacy, Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Chaohu, China
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
| | - Tao Liu
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
| | - Liangbing Wei
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
| | - Jiarong Gao
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
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Zhuang XX, Liu T, Wei LB, Gao JR. Construction of chronic glomerulonephritis‑related lncRNA‑mRNA regulatory network and lncRNA‑-miRNA‑mRNA ceRNA network by bioinformatics analysis. Exp Ther Med 2023; 26:403. [PMID: 37522060 PMCID: PMC10375445 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2023.12102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are ncRNA transcripts >200 nucleotides that are important genetic regulators. LncRNAs can directly regulate mRNA through a lncRNA-mRNA regulatory mode and can also regulate mRNA through competitive binding to micro (mi)RNA, which is generally known as the competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network. The present study evaluated the functional roles and regulatory networks of lncRNAs in chronic glomerulonephritis (CGN). The proliferative ability of mouse glomerular mesangial cells (GMCs) induced by different concentrations of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was assessed using the Cell Counting Kit-8 assay, and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) was performed to identify differentially expressed lncRNAs in LPS-induced GMCs. Based on the sequencing results, six lncRNAs were selected for validation using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). Furthermore, the lncRNA-mRNA regulatory network and the lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA ceRNA network were constructed to assess the role and mechanism of CGN-related lncRNAs. To elucidate the biological functions of lncRNAs, Gene Ontology (GO) biological process term enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were performed on all mRNAs involved in the lncRNA-mRNA regulatory network and in the ceRNA network. A total of 1,532 differentially expressed lncRNAs, including 594 upregulated lncRNAs and 938 downregulated lncRNAs, were identified using RNA-seq. The results of RT-qPCR validation were consistent with RNA-seq results. An lncRNA-mRNA regulatory network, including 236 lncRNAs and 556 mRNAs, and a ceRNA network, including 6 lncRNAs, 18 miRNAs and 419 mRNAs, were successfully constructed. The GO biological process term enrichment and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses demonstrated that those lncRNAs were often related to inflammatory response and substance metabolism. The present study identified key CGN-related lncRNAs in LPS-induced GMCs, and further demonstrated a global view of the lncRNA-mRNA regulatory network and ceRNA network involved in CGN. These results offered novel insights into the roles of lncRNAs in the pathogenesis of CGN and identified potential diagnostic biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xing-Xing Zhuang
- Department of Pharmacy, Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Chaohu, Anhui 238000, P.R. China
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui 230012, P.R. China
| | - Tao Liu
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui 230012, P.R. China
| | - Liang-Bing Wei
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui 230012, P.R. China
| | - Jia-Rong Gao
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui 230012, P.R. China
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