The miRNA-184 drives renal fibrosis by targeting HIF1AN in vitro and in vivo

Progressive renal fibrosis is the last phase of chronic kidney disease and results in renal failure. Micro-RNA has been demonstrated as important agent to drive organ fibrosis. However, the precise mechanisms are not fully understood. Here, we found miRNA-184 as a critical mediator to promote the renal fibrosis by targeting HIF1AN. In Vivo, miRNA-184 expression levels remarkably increased both in patients’ serum and in unilateral ureteral obstruction kidneys, as well as induced the expression of COL1A1 and COL3A1. Furthermore, transfection of NRK49F cells with miRNA-184 mimics down-regulated HIF1AN, transfection of NRK49F cells with miRNA-184 inhibitor up-regulated HIF1AN, while the cells transfected with miRNA-184 inhibitor exerted the opposite effect. When the cells were co-transfected with miRNA-184 mimics and HIF1AN, the expression of α-SMA, GTGF, COL1A1, and COL3A1 at mRNA level was apparently decreased when compared with miRNA-184 mimic-transfected cells, which was strengthened when transfected with miRNA-184 inhibitor. Thus, miRNA-184 is an important agent to promote the fibrosis though binding to HIF1AN, and may be a promising novel target in treatment of renal fibrosis.