miRNA Changes Track Functional Decline in Kidney Disease

END-stage renal disease (ESRD) was characterised by higher microRNA levels and inflammation, alongside reduced physical functional capacity, highlighting miR-16 and miR-206 as potential exploratory biomarkers.

miRNA Associations in End-Stage Kidney Disease

Researchers evaluated whether selected miRNAs were associated with cardiovascular risk factors, inflammatory status and physical functional capacity in patients with ESRD. The study included 25 patients with ESRD and 23 individuals without chronic kidney disease who served as controls.

The investigation focused on miR-1, miR-16, miR-150 and miR-206, which are involved in inflammatory and cardiovascular processes. The researchers examined their expression alongside measures of inflammation, body composition, muscle strength and functional capacity.

Chronic kidney disease is associated with progressive renal impairment and chronic inflammation, while also increasing cardiovascular risk. The findings therefore explored whether miRNA expression could reflect some of the inflammatory and functional changes observed in advanced disease.

Higher miRNA Levels Accompany Functional Decline

The data showed that miRNA expression and TNF-α were higher in patients with ESRD than in the control group. In contrast, fat-free mass, handgrip strength and functional capacity were reduced among patients with ESRD.

All four miRNAs analysed showed positive correlations with inflammatory status and negative correlations with physical functional capacity. This indicated that higher miRNA expression was associated with greater inflammation and poorer physical function within the study population.

miR-16 and miR-206 were particularly notable. The findings supported their potential relevance to the inflammatory and physical functional impairment associated with ESRD, with miR-16 emerging as a particularly promising exploratory biomarker candidate.

Potential Biomarker Implications

The findings suggest that miRNAs could provide useful biological markers for investigating the relationship between inflammation and functional impairment in ESRD. In particular, miR-16 may warrant further investigation as an exploratory biomarker associated with disease-related inflammatory and physical changes.

The researchers suggested that these findings could contribute to the development of more targeted and individualised therapeutic approaches for patients with ESRD and its complications. However, the study’s findings were based on 48 participants and describe associations between miRNA expression, inflammation and physical functional capacity rather than establishing causation.

Further investigation would be needed to clarify the clinical significance of these miRNA patterns and their potential role in the assessment or management of end-stage kidney disease.

Reference

de Oliveira Rodrigues MT et al. miRNA levels are associated with functional physical capacity and inflammation in patients with end-stage kidney disease. Sci Rep. 2026;DOI:10.1038/s41598-026-65747-3.

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