Vesicles bearing gifts: the functional importance of micro-RNA transfer in extracellular vesicles in chronic kidney disease

Nima Abbasian, Karl E Herbert, Izabella Pawluczyk, James O Burton, Alan Bevington

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

7 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Extracellular vesicles (EVs), including microparticles (MPs) and exosomes (EXOs), are derived from a wide range of mammalian cells including blood platelets, endothelial cells, and kidney cells and can be detected in body fluids including blood and urine. While EVs are well established as diagnostic markers under pathophysiological and stress conditions, there is also mounting evidence of their functional significance as vehicles for communication between cells mediated by the presence of nucleic acids, especially microRNAs (miRs), encapsulated in the EVs. miRs regulate gene expression, are transported both in MPs and EXOs, and exert profound effects in the kidney. Here we review current understanding of the links between EVs and miRs, discuss the importance of miRs in kidney disease, and shed light on the role of EVs in transferring miRs through the circulation among the renal, vascular, and inflammatory cell populations that are functionally important in patients with chronic kidney disease.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)F1430-F1443
JournalAmerican journal of physiology. Renal physiology
Volume315
Issue number5
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Nov 2018

Keywords

  • Animals
  • Exosomes/genetics
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Humans
  • Kidney/metabolism
  • MicroRNAs/genetics
  • Renal Insufficiency, Chronic/genetics
  • Signal Transduction

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