Identification and analysis of the predictive urinary exosomal miR-195-5p in lupus nephritis based on renal miRNA-mRNA co-expression network

Exosomal miRNAs in autoimmune skin diseases

Exosomes, bilaterally phospholipid-coated small vesicles, are produced and released by nearly all cells, which comprise diverse biological macromolecules, including proteins, DNA, RNA, and others, that participate in the regulation of their biological functions. An increasing number of studies have revealed that the contents of exosomes, particularly microRNA(miRNA), play a significant role in the pathogenesis of various diseases, including autoimmune skin diseases. MiRNA is a class of single-stranded non-coding RNA molecules that possess approximately 22 nucleotides in length with the capability of binding to the untranslated as well as coding regions of target mRNA to regulate gene expression precisely at the post-transcriptional level. Various exosomal miRNAs have been found to be significantly expressed in some autoimmune skin diseases and involved in the pathogenesis of conditions via regulating the secretion of crucial pathogenic cytokines and the direction of immune cell differentiation. Thus, exosomal miRNAs might be promising biomarkers for monitoring disease progression, relapse and reflection to treatment based on their functions and changes. This review summarized the current studies on exosomal miRNAs in several common autoimmune skin diseases, aiming to dissect the underlying mechanism from a new perspective, seek novel biomarkers for disease monitoring and lay the foundation for developing innovative target therapy in the future.

Kunxian capsule alleviates renal damage by inhibiting the JAK1/STAT1 pathway in lupus nephritis

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Kunxian capsule (KXC) is a new traditional Chinese medicine drug included in "The key science and technology achievements" in the Ninth Five Year Plan of China. KXC has been clinically used for more than 10 years in the treatment of lupus nephritis (LN). However, the underlying role and molecular mechanism of KXC in LN remain unclear.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study aimed to explore the efficacy and potential mechanisms of KXC through pharmacological network, in vitro and in vivo studies.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Pharmacological network analysis of KXC treatment in LN was performed using data acquired from the Traditional Chinese Medicine System Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP, https://old.tcmsp-e.com/tcmsp.php) and NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/database). HK-2 cells were chosen as an in vitro model of the tubular immune response by simulation with interferon γ (IFN-γ). MRL/lpr mice were used to explore the mechanism of KXC in vivo. Finally, the specific active molecules of KXC were further analyzed by molecular docking.

RESULTS

The pharmacological network analysis showed that STAT1 is a key factor in the effects of KXC. In vitro and in vivo experiments confirmed the therapeutic effect of KXC on LN renal function and tubular inflammation. The protective effect of KXC is mediated by STAT1 blockade, which further reduces T-cell infiltration and improves the renal microenvironment in LN. Two main components of KXC, Tripterygium hypoglaucum (H.Lév.) Hutch (Shanhaitang) and Epimedium brevicornu Maxim (Yinyanghuo) could block JAK1-STAT1 activation. Furthermore, we found 8 molecules that could bind to the ATP pocket of JAK1 with high affinities by performing docking analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

KXC inhibits renal damage and T-cell infiltration in LN by blocking the JAK1-STAT1 pathway.

Decipher the Immunopathological Mechanisms and Set Up Potential Therapeutic Strategies for Patients with Lupus Nephritis

Lupus nephritis (LN) is one of the most severe complications in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Traditionally, LN is regarded as an immune complex (IC) deposition disease led by dsDNA-anti-dsDNA-complement interactions in the subendothelial and/or subepithelial basement membrane of glomeruli to cause inflammation. The activated complements in the IC act as chemoattractants to chemically attract both innate and adaptive immune cells to the kidney tissues, causing inflammatory reactions. However, recent investigations have unveiled that not only the infiltrating immune-related cells, but resident kidney cells, including glomerular mesangial cells, podocytes, macrophage-like cells, tubular epithelial cells and endothelial cells, may also actively participate in the inflammatory and immunological reactions in the kidney. Furthermore, the adaptive immune cells that are infiltrated are genetically restricted to autoimmune predilection. The autoantibodies commonly found in SLE, including anti-dsDNA, are cross-reacting with not only a broad spectrum of chromatin substances, but also extracellular matrix components, including α-actinin, annexin II, laminin, collagen III and IV, and heparan sulfate proteoglycan. Besides, the glycosylation on the Fab portion of IgG anti-dsDNA antibodies can also affect the pathogenic properties of the autoantibodies in that α-2,6-sialylation alleviates, whereas fucosylation aggravates their nephritogenic activity. Some of the coexisting autoantibodies, including anti-cardiolipin, anti-C1q, anti-ribosomal P autoantibodies, may also enhance the pathogenic role of anti-dsDNA antibodies. In clinical practice, the identification of useful biomarkers for diagnosing, monitoring, and following up on LN is quite important for its treatments. The development of a more specific therapeutic strategy to target the pathogenic factors of LN is also critical. We will discuss these issues in detail in the present article.

Potassium Channels, Glucose Metabolism and Glycosylation in Cancer Cells

Potassium channels emerge as one of the crucial groups of proteins that shape the biology of cancer cells. Their involvement in processes like cell growth, migration, or electric signaling, seems obvious. However, the relationship between the function of K+ channels, glucose metabolism, and cancer glycome appears much more intriguing. Among the typical hallmarks of cancer, one can mention the switch to aerobic glycolysis as the most favorable mechanism for glucose metabolism and glycome alterations. This review outlines the interconnections between the expression and activity of potassium channels, carbohydrate metabolism, and altered glycosylation in cancer cells, which have not been broadly discussed in the literature hitherto. Moreover, we propose the potential mediators for the described relations (e.g., enzymes, microRNAs) and the novel promising directions (e.g., glycans-orinented drugs) for further research.

Urinary Extracellular Vesicles in Chronic Kidney Disease: From Bench to Bedside?

Extracellular vesicles are a diverse group of particles that include exosomes, microvesicles, and apoptotic bodies and are defined by size, composition, site of origin, and density. They incorporate various bioactive molecules from their cell of origin during formation, such as soluble proteins, membrane receptors, nucleic acids (mRNAs and miRNAs), and lipids, which can then be transferred to target cells. Extracellular vesicles/exosomes have been extensively studied as a critical factor in pathophysiological processes of human diseases. Urinary extracellular vesicles could be a promising liquid biopsy for determining the pattern and/or severity of kidney histologic injury. The signature of urinary extracellular vesicles may pave the way for noninvasive methods to supplement existing testing methods for diagnosing kidney diseases. We discuss the potential role of urinary extracellular vesicles in various chronic kidney diseases in this review, highlighting open questions and discussing the potential for future research.