In this paper, the expression of microRNAs in diabetic nephropathy is verified and the relationship between the target genes and the diabetic nephropathy is analyzed by qRT-PCR. With db/db mice as the model group (DN group) and db/m mice as normal group (NC group), we measure the weight, the blood glucose, the triglyceride, the total cholesterol and the 24 h urinary albumin excretion rate in every mice. The renal tissue from the kidney of the DN and NC mice is taken for pathological examination and qRT-PCR. The difference of the expression levels of microRNAs is confirmed by qRT-PCR, and then the mRNA expression of the target genes is verified. The DN animal model is successfully constructed according to the blood glucose and the 24 h urinary albumin excretion rate results. The expression levels of miR-196a, miR-21 and miR-200b are significantly increased in the DN mice compared with the NC mice, and the difference is statistically significant(P<0.05).The expression levels of miR-196a, miR-200b and miR-21 are positively correlated with the level of the blood glucose, the triglyceride, the total cholesterol and the 24h urinary protein excretion rate. The microRNAs database is used to predict the target genes of miR-196a, including ANX1, HOXB7, PTEN, FOXO1, HOXB8 and HOXA5. The expression levels of the ANX1 and the FOXO1 are significantly lower in the DN mice compared with the NC group, and the difference is statistically significant(P<0.05). There is a positive correlation between the ANX1, the FOXO1 and the 24 h urinary protein excretion rate. It is concluded that miR-196a may be involved in the development of the diabetic nephropathy to regulate the expressions of the ANX1 and the FOXO1.

diabetic nephropathy  /  microRNA  /  quantitative real-time PCR  /  target genes