Elucidation of the regulatory mechanisms of urinary microRNA expression and its clinical implementation as a biomarker for renal disease

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K08271
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 53040:Nephrology-related
• Research Institution: Yamagata University
• Principal Investigator: Konta Tsuneo 山形大学, 医学部, 教授 (60333952)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: microRNA / 腎臓病

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, in situ hybridization and microarray analyses were performed on urine and renal biopsy tissue samples from a total of 200 subjects, including healthy subjects and patients with renal disease, to investigate the correlation between microRNA expression in renal tissue and urine and the association between urinary microRNAs and renal prognosis. The results showed that several types of urinary microRNA (especially miR-5195) expression correlated with renal tissue lesions, rate of renal function decline, and response to treatment, indicating that they could be used as novel biomarkers of renal disease.

Free Research Field

腎臓病

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

microRNAは様々な疾患の病変形成に関与しているが、腎障害のバイオマーカーとして、実臨床に有用か不明であった。今回の検討結果から、ある種類の尿中microRNA発現は、腎組織病変、腎機能低下速度、治療反応性と相関しており、腎疾患の新規バイオマーカーとして利用できる可能性が示された。しかし、尿中microRNA は抽出・測定が簡便でない、基準となるmicroRNAがなく定量法が確立されていない、などの課題がある。そのため、尿中microRNAの実臨床への社会実装には、症例を集積し、これらの課題を克服する必要があると考えられた。