#AI reads Urine# Small RNA Sequencing of Human Urinary Extracellular Vesicles Reveals Association of High-Sodium Diet With Renal Proinflammatory Pathways
Published 01 January, 2026
Published in the *Journal of the American Heart Association*, this study aimed to investigate the impact of dietary sodium content on renal pathophysiological processes by analyzing small RNAs in extracellular vesicles (EVs) isolated from urine. Fourteen high-risk normotensive subjects with normal kidney function were enrolled; they first followed a low-sodium diet and then a high-sodium diet. Twenty-four-hour urine samples were collected at the end of each dietary phase to isolate urinary EVs, and small RNA sequencing was performed on these EVs. Additionally, the target interactions between some differentially expressed microRNAs (miRNAs) and mRNAs were validated in a human renal proximal tubular cell line (human kidney 2 cells). The results identified 111 small RNA species, among which 30 showed significant differences between the two dietary states. A high-sodium diet enriched proinflammatory pathways related to the innate and adaptive immune systems, as well as interleukin and interferon signaling, while a low-sodium diet enriched pathways related to the regulation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα), which are associated with anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic effects. Specific miRNAs (such as miR-320b, which is downregulated in a high-sodium diet, and miR-10b-5p, which is downregulated in a low-sodium diet) were found to affect renal inflammatory status by regulating their corresponding target proteins (such as intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα)). The study concluded that analyzing small RNAs in urinary EVs reveals that a high-sodium diet is associated with proinflammatory changes in the kidney, potentially contributing to sodium-induced low-grade renal inflammation. In the future, monitoring these related small RNAs may help predict the risk of hypertension and renal damage, and adjusting dietary sodium intake could protect kidney health.
J Am Heart Assoc. 2025 Nov 26:e040091. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.124.040091.
Youhe Gao
Statement: During the preparation of this work the author(s) used Doubao / AI reading for summarizing the content. After using this tool/service, the author(s) reviewed and edited the content as needed and take(s) full responsibility for the content of the published article.
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