LncRNA VCAN‐AS1 serves as a diagnostic biomarker and drives pathogenesis in diabetic nephropathy via the miR‐205‐5p/vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) axis
Authors' conclusion
VCAN-AS1 serves as a potential diagnostic biomarker for DN and promotes disease pathogenesis through the miR-205-5p/VEGFA axis, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic target.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) with or without diabetic nephropathy (DN), and healthy controls
- Participants
- 85 / 66 / 62
- Comparison
- DN vs DM without nephropathy vs healthy controls
- DNn = 85
- DM without nephropathyn = 66
- Healthy controlsn = 62reference
- Outcome
- Serum VCAN-AS1 (qRT-PCR) and diagnostic performance for DN
Methodological detailsin vitro HK-2 cell experiments, dual-luciferase reporter assays
- In vitro HK-2 cell experiments
- Dual-luciferase reporter assays
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
| Group | AUC |
|---|---|
| DN | 0.879 |
DN
AUC0.879
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
In vitro mechanism (high glucose-treated HK-2 cells)
- High glucose up-regulated VCAN-AS1 in HK-2 cells, promoting cellular injury phenotypes
- miR-205-5p inhibition reversed the protective effects of VCAN-AS1 knockdown
- VCAN-AS1 directly bound miR-205-5p, suppressing it and enhancing VEGFA expression
Original publication
LncRNA VCAN‐AS1 serves as a diagnostic biomarker and drives pathogenesis in diabetic nephropathy via the miR‐205‐5p/VEGFA axis. Diabet Med. Published 19 March 2026. doi:10.
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