Microarray-based clustering analysis of miRNAs altered in LPS-AKI mouse kidney

The aim of this study was to identify miRNAs that regulate AKI and develop their applications as diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic agents. First, kidney tissues from two different AKI mouse models, namely, AKI induced by the administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) causing sepsis (LPS-AKI mice) and AKI induced by renal ischemia–reperfusion injury (IRI-AKI mice), were exhaustively screened for their changes of miRNA expression compared with that of control mice by microarray analysis. A septic acute kidney injury model, with AKI induced by the intraperitoneal administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS-AKI model), was created in accordance with a previously reported method . For the LPS model mice, LPS was injected into the peritoneal cavity as a body weight-based dose of 10 μg/g (Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO). The kidneys were collected 24 h later. A blood sample was obtained from the vena cava from each animal. The sham model of LPS was injected with the same dose of normal saline.