Expression of miR-155, miR-223, miR-29b, miR-142-3p, and miR-142-5p in kidney allografts with acute tubular necrosis, rejection phenotypes, and BK-polyomavirus nephropathy

Bezeljak, Neva (avtor), Kojc, Nika (avtor), Pipan Tkalec, Živa (avtor), Arnol, Miha (avtor), Boštjančič, Emanuela (avtor), Večerić-Haler, Željka (avtor)

Specific tissue microRNA (miRNA) profiles may reflect biologically relevant pathways of kidney allograft injury and rejection. We analyzed the intragraft expression of five preselected miRNAs (miR-29b-3p, miR-142-3p, miR-142-5p, miR-155-5p and miR-223-3p) using qPCR in biopsies from patients with antibody-mediated rejection (ABMR; n = 26), T cell-mediated rejection (TCMR; n = 14), BK polyomavirus nephropathy (BKVN; n = 15), acute tubular necrosis (ATN; n = 8), and controls (CTRL; n = 20). miR-155-5p, miR-223-3p, and miR-142-5p/3p were significantly up-regulated in ABMR (p < 0.01), TCMR (p ≤ 0.012), and BKVN (p ≤ 0.001) compared with CTRL, while miR-223-3p levels in ATN were comparable to CTRL. These immune-related miRNAs correlated with serum creatinine, proteinuria, Banff inflammation scores (t, i, ti; all p ≤ 0.001), and transcriptomic markers of rejection and tissue injury derived from molecular analysis of biopsy samples (all p < 0.01). miR-155-5p showed the strongest and most consistent association with rejection-related parameters, whereas miR-29b-3p correlated with donor characteristics and chronic fibrosis. In classification analyses, individual miRNAs displayed moderate discrimination, with miR-223-3p performing best, while a combined multi-miRNA model markedly improved separation of rejecting and non-rejecting phenotypes (AUC = 0.954 after BKVN exclusion). Intragraft miRNA expression was associated with selected inflammatory and immune-mediated features of allograft dysfunction and may provide supportive biological information alongside histopathological and molecular assessment in future studies. However, these exploratory findings require validation in larger, independent cohorts, including paired blood or urine samples, before any diagnostic or biomarker role can be established.

• Jezik: Angleški jezik
• Ključne besede: miRNA, Kidney transplantation, Antibody-mediated rejection, Acute tubular necrosis, BK polyomavirus nephropathy, T cell-mediated rejection
• Vrsta gradiva: Članek v reviji
• Tipologija: 1.01 - Izvirni znanstveni članek
• Organizacija: MF - Medicinska fakulteta
• Status publikacije: Objavljeno
• Različica publikacije: Objavljena publikacija
• Leto izida: 2026
• Št. strani: 27 str.
• Številčenje: Vol. 16, art. 28401
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-186531
• UDK: 616.61-089.843
• ISSN pri članku: 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-026-59410-0
• COBISS.SI-ID: 284000259
• Datum objave v RUL: 24.09.2026

Gradivo je del revije

• Naslov: Scientific reports
• Skrajšan naslov: Sci. rep.
• Založnik: Springer Nature
• ISSN: 2045-2322
• COBISS.SI-ID: 18727432

Licence

• Licenca: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, Creative Commons Priznanje avtorstva-Nekomercialno-Brez predelav 4.0 Mednarodna
• Povezava: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/deed.sl
• Opis: Najbolj omejujoča licenca Creative Commons. Uporabniki lahko prenesejo in delijo delo v nekomercialne namene in ga ne smejo uporabiti za nobene druge namene.

Sekundarni jezik

• Jezik: Slovenski jezik
• Ključne besede: mikroRNA, presatidev ledvic, protitelesno posredovana zavrnitev, akutna tabularna nekroza, BK-virusna nefropatija, s celicami T posredovana zavrnitev