Profile of urinary exosomal microRNAs and their contribution to Diabetic Kidney Disease through a predictive classification model

BACKGROUND

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a main complication of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Exosomal microRNAs (exomiRs) participate in numerous early events in kidney injury regulating progression to DKD. This study aimed to evaluate the expression of exomiRs-126, 146 and 155 in urinary exosomes of patients with T2D and diabetic kidney disease to establish a predictive classification model with exomiRs and clinical variables in order to determine their contribution to DKD.

METHODS

The study group included 92 subjects: 64 patients diagnosed with T2DM subclassified into 2 groups with albuminuria (T2DM with albuminuria, n = 30) and without albuminuria (TD2M, n = 34) as well as 28 healthy, non-diabetic participants. Exosomes were isolated from urine and identified by TEM and flow cytometry. Profile expression of exomiRs-126, -146 and - 155 was evaluated by RT-qPCR. Data were analyzed by Permutational Multivariate Analysis of Variance (PERMANOVA), similarity percentage (SIMPER), principal coordinate analysis (PCO) and Canonical Analysis of Principal Coordinates (CAP).

RESULTS

T2DM patients with and without albuminuria showed higher levels of miR-155 and miR-146 compared to controls. In addition, T2DM patients with albuminuria presented a significant increase in miR-126 contrasted to controls and patients without albuminuria. PCO analysis explained 34.6% of the total variability of the data (PERMANOVA; P <0.0001). Subsequently, SIMPER analysis showed that miR-146, miR-155, and miR-126 together, with some clinical parameters, contributed to 50% of the between-group significance. Finally, the CAP analysis developed showed a correct classification of 89.01% with the analyzed parameters.

CONCLUSIONS

A platform using a combination of clinical variables and exomiRs could be used to to classify individuals with T2D as risk for developing DKD.

Health risk assessment in children living in an urban area with hydrofluorosis: San Luis Potosí Mexico case study

BACKGROUND

Fluoride is an inorganic element, which can be found in high concentrations in groundwater. Its consumption and exposure have consequences on human health. The objective of this study was to evaluate fluoride exposure and develop a health risk assessment in children from an urban area with hydrofluorosis in Mexico.

METHODS

Water fluoride levels in active wells were provided by the Water State Agency and divided into three zones: agriculture zone (Zone A), metallurgical zone (Zone B), and industrial zone (Zone C). Urinary fluoride levels were determined by potentiometric method using an ion-selective electrode. Health risk assessment was performed through Monte Carlo model analysis and hazard quotient was calculated.

RESULTS

According to fluoride well concentration, all zones have high concentration especially Zone B (2.55 ± 0.98 mg/L). Urinary fluoride concentrations were highest in children in Zone B (1.42 ± 0.8 mg/L). The estimated median daily intake dose of fluoride was 0.084 mg/Kg-day for the children living in zone B. The highest mean HQ value was to Zone B (1.400 ± 0.980), followed by Zone C (0.626 ± 0.443).

CONCLUSION

The levels of fluoride exposure registered are a potential risk to generate adverse health effects in children in the San Luis Potosi metropolitan area.

Effect of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) exposure on microRNA expression and global DNA methylation in endothelial cells EA.hy926

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of AgNPs on the epigenome of endothelial cells EA.hy926, including the levels of expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) and global DNA methylation patterns. In addition, evaluation of the expression of inflammatory genes and the levels of VCAM-1 protein (miRNA-126 target) was performed. The expression levels of analyzed miRNAs (microRNAs-126, 155 and 146) were reduced significantly and there were not observed changes in inflammatory gene expression. Regarding the levels of protein vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1), they increase significantly to 0.5 μM AgNPs at 24 h of exposure. As far as DNA methylation is concerned, we found that AgNPs induce a state of global hyper-methylation. In conclusion, it was demonstrated that direct contact between AgNPs and endothelial cells resulted in the dysregulation of highly enriched and vastly functional miRNAs and DNA hypermethylation, that may have multiple effects on endothelium function and integrity.