MicroRNAs are a group of highly conserved non-coding RNAs that play critical roles in regulating networks of genes. MicroRNAs bind to target mRNAs and can inhibit translation and/or facilitate degradation. One of these miRNAs, microRNA-21, plays an important role in kidney disease as it has been shown to increase in animal models of disease. Recent studies have shown that microRNA-21 promotes interstitial kidney disease with fibrosis by silencing metabolic pathways and by promoting reactive oxygen species formation. Mice with microRNA-21 deletion show a decrease in kidney fibrosis.
Our hypothesis is that cells isolated from microRNA-21 knock out mice will have decreased expression of cytokines associated with fibrosis. I will look at the expression of reactive oxygen species by live imaging of cells where microRNA-21 has been blocked. Then I will use quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blots to analyze protein levels for known molecules associated with fibrosis and inflammation. We expect to see that cells treated with anti-microRNA-21 have a reduction in reactive oxygen species, leading to less fibrosis and inflammation. Blocking microRNA-21 is a potential new therapy to combat kidney disease.