Work

Hemoglobin-associated CALR in proximal tubule cells can be used as a biomarker for idiopathic membranous nephropathy

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Objective: Idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN) is the leading cause of nephrotic syndrome in adults. Given the limited diagnostic options currently available, we performed RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) of urinary cells to identify potential urinary biomarkers for IMN and to investigate its underlying disease mechanisms. Methods: We conducted RNA-seq analysis on cells isolated from both first-void and second-void morning urine samples. By integrating these data with single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data from IMN and healthy kidney tissues, we performed comprehensive analyses including: Inflammatory index assessment, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis, Gene Ontology (GO) functional annotation, Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) enrichment analysis, Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) network construction. Candidate differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were further validated using urinary cell RNA-seq data. Key genes were ultimately identified through Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) and subsequently verified by immunohistochemical and Quantitative Real-Time PCR (qRT-PCR) experiments of tissue expression patterns. Results: plays crucial roles in both immune response (particularly in antigen presentation) and physiological processes (notably in hemoglobin production).

Source: Frontiers in Medicine

DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2025.1574852