Hypoxia-induced down-regulation of microRNA-34a promotes EMT by targeting the Notch signaling pathway in tubular epithelial cells

Hypoxia-induced renal tubular cell epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is an important event leading to renal fibrosis. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNA molecules that bind to their mRNA targets, thereby leading to translational repression. The role of miRNA in hypoxia-induced EMT is largely unknown. Methodology/principal findings: miRNA profiling was performed for the identification of differentially expressed miRNAs in HK-2 cells under normal and low oxygen, and the

Our study provides evidence that the hypoxia-induced decrease of miR-34a expression could promote EMT in renal tubular epithelial cells by directly targeting Notch1 and Jagged1, and subsequently, Notch downstream signaling.