Abstract
Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) has been suggested to play an important role in a variety of diseases over the past decade. In a previous study, we identified a novel lncRNA, termed HOXA11-AS, which was significantly up-regulated in calcium oxalate (CaOx) nephrolithiasis. However, the biological function of HOXA11-AS in CaOx nephrolithiasis remains poorly defined. Here, we demonstrated that HOXA11-AS was significantly up-regulated in CaOx nephrolithiasis both in vivo and in vitro. Gain-/loss-of-function studies revealed that HOXA11-AS inhibited proliferation, promoted apoptosis and aggravated cellular damage in HK-2 cells exposed to calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM). Further investigations showed that HOXA11-AS regulated monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1) expression in HK-2 cell model of CaOx nephrolithiasis. In addition, online bioinformatics analysis and dual-luciferase reporter assay results showed that miR-124-3p directly bound to HOXA11-AS and the 3'UTR of MCP-1. Furthermore, rescue experiment results revealed that HOXA11-AS functioned as a competing endogenous RNA to regulate MCP-1 expression through sponging miR-124-3p and that overexpression of miR-124-3p restored the inhibitory effect of proliferation, promotion effects of apoptosis and cell damage induced by HOXA11-AS overexpression. Taken together, HOXA11-AS mediated CaOx crystal-induced renal inflammation via the miR-124-3p/MCP-1 axis, and this outcome may provide a good potential therapeutic target for nephrolithiasis.