Fig. 5.

The lipid metabolism pathway and Pparα are miR-21 targets in kidney injury. (A) De-repressed genes from microarray analysis of UUO kidneys from miR-21^-/- or miR-21^+/+ mice by biological process. Green bars highlight lipid metabolism (B) Heat map (blue-low, red, high) comparing lipid metabolism genes that are over-represented in Pparα transgenic mouse muscle with miR-21 deficient UUO kidneys (C) Photomicrogaphs showing expression of Pparα in normal and UUO kidney. (D) Q-PCR for Ppara transcripts normalized to Gapdh in miR-21^-/- or miR-21^+/+ mice. (E-F) Western blot (F) and band intensity quantification (E) for Pparα in UUO kidneys from miR-21^-/- or miR-21^+/+ mice. (G-H) Q-PCR and Western blot of confluent monolayers of primary epithelial cultures for Pparα from kidneys from miR-21^-/- or miR-21^+/+ mice, in normal culture conditions or following 24h of hypoxia. Schema (J) and characterization (K-N) of the response of kidneys to UUO injury during over-expression of Pparα in androgen sensitive conditional KAP2-Ppara transgenic female mice. (K) Ppara expression in normal kidneys 5d after implantation of testosterone (t) or sham. (L) Q-PCR quantification of Mcad transcripts, (M) Western Blot and quantification of αSMA in sham or UUO kidneys of Kap2-Ppara or WT mice treated with testosterone and (N) Quantification of Sirius red stained fibrosis. (P-R) Characterization of the response of Ppara^-/- kidneys to anti-miR21 administration. Graphs quantifying Sirius red stained fibrosis (P) and Collagen transcript quantification in UUO or sham surgery kidneys (Q), or epithelial injury scores (R) in UUO kidneys. (n= 3-7/group. * P<0.05, **P<0.01. Bar = 100μm).