MicroRNA Dynamics in Nephrotic Syndrome
Summary
MicroRNAs are small non-coding RNAs that modulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level and play a pivotal role in the maintenance of glomerular homeostasis. In nephrotic syndrome, dysregulation of specific microRNAs contributes to podocyte injury, disruption of the glomerular filtration barrier and subsequent proteinuria. Altered microRNA profiles have been detected in serum, urine and urinary extracellular vesicles, reflecting both local renal pathology and systemic responses. Functional studies reveal that certain microRNAs regulate key pathways such as autophagy, apoptosis and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in podocytes and tubular epithelial cells. These dynamic changes not only offer insights into disease mechanisms but also highlight microRNAs as potential non-invasive biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis and treatment stratification. Ongoing research seeks to translate these molecular signatures into clinical practice, aiming to improve risk prediction and develop microRNA-based therapeutic interventions.
Research from Nature Portfolio
No recent Nature Portfolio content available.
MicroRNA Dynamics in Nephrotic Syndrome publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in microrna dynamics in nephrotic syndrome across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
MicroRNA: A short non-coding RNA molecule that binds target mRNAs to suppress translation or induce degradation.
Podocyte: A specialised epithelial cell in the kidney glomerulus essential for the filtration barrier.
Exosome: A small extracellular vesicle that transports proteins, lipids and nucleic acids, including microRNAs, between cells.
Autophagy: A regulated intracellular process that degrades and recycles cellular components to maintain homeostasis.
Biomarker: A measurable indicator of a biological state or condition, used for diagnosis or monitoring of disease.
References
- miR‐664a‐5p promotes experimental membranous nephropathy progression through HIPK2/Calpain1/GSα‐mediated autophagy inhibition. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine (2024).
- Epigenetic Mechanisms and Nephrotic Syndrome: A Systematic Review. Biomedicines (2023).
- Plasma microRNA panel is a novel biomarker for focal segmental glomerulosclerosis and associated with podocyte apoptosis. Cell Death & Disease (2018).
About these summaries
This Nature Research Intelligence Topic summary is created with the cited references and a large language model. We take care to ground generated text with facts, and have systems in place to gain human feedback on the overall quality of the process in line with our AI principles. We strive to create accurate and useful summaries for people unfamiliar with the research topic and that supports this goal. These pages are a beta release and will be updated as we learn how best to help people gain value from a research topic summary.
Turn complex research questions into confident strategic decisions
When you're under pressure to set direction, justify investment, or understand your competitive position, you need more than raw data — you need trusted insights you can act on.
Benchmark your performance against global peers using robust, methodologically sound analysis.
Combine quantitative metrics with qualitative expert insight to uncover strengths, gaps and emerging opportunities.
Gain tailored, decision-ready recommendations aligned to your strategic priorities.
Talk to us to learn more about our data dashboards and bespoke strategy reports.
Grow research skills, confidence and careers with training built for every stage of the research lifecycle.
Developed with Nature Portfolio journal Editors and internationally renowned experts. Discover three ways to learn:
Self-paced, online courses in convenient bite-sized units, covering key skills across scientific writing, publishing, grant writing, data analysis, and more.
Expert trainer-led workshops with hands-on exercises and real-time feedback across core research skills, delivered via interactive group sessions.
Editor-led workshops combining core principles in writing and publishing, personalised 1:1 feedback from Nature Portfolio Editors and hands-on exercises.
Explore course catalogues and workshop agendas, enquire about the options or request institutional pricing.