MIAT is expressed at high levels in individuals with DN and participates in DN progression
(A) RNA-FISH revealed the location and expression of Miat under LG or HG conditions by confocal laser scanning microscope (n = 4). Scale bar, 25 μm. (B) Real-time PCR showed the mRNA levels of Miat in podocytes after LG or HG stimulation for 48 h (n = 7). (C) RNA-FISH illustrated the distribution of Miat and its relative position to podocin in paraffin-embedded mouse sections by confocal laser scanning microscope (n = 3). The podocytes were labeled with arrows. Scale bar, 25 μm. (D) The expression of Miat in primary podocytes from WT-CTL and WT-STZ mice at 12 weeks after the onset of diabetes (n = 3). (E) Expression of Miat in the kidney tissues from WT-CTL mice at 4 (n = 7), 6 (n = 7), 8 (n = 7), and 12 weeks (n = 8) and WT-STZ mice at 4 (n = 8), 6 (n = 8), 8 (n = 9), and 12 weeks (n = 8) after the onset of diabetes. (F) Levels of MIAT in the plasma from clinical patients with DN (n = 61) and their healthy counterparts (n = 22). (G) MIAT expression in the plasma from control subjects (n = 22) and patients with DN presenting normal urinary albumin levels (n = 20), microalbuminuria (n = 21), and macroalbuminuria (n = 20). (H) The correlation between MIAT expression and ACR (R = 0.538, p < 0.01). (I) The correlation between MIAT expression and Scr levels (R = 0.272, p = 0.034). (J) The expression of MIAT in the kidney tissues of clinical patients with DN (n = 20) and healthy subjects (n = 11). Error bars represent ±SD. ∗p < 0.05, ∗∗p < 0.01, and ∗∗∗p < 0.001.