Fig. 5

HG-induced HK-2 cell-derived exosomes promote ER stress in MMCs through miR-92a-1-5p-RCN3 pathway. A Flowchart of identification of potential mRNAs from MMCs transfected with RCN3 siRNA (20 nM) and normal control (NC) using NGS and following bioinformatics analysis. B The heat map revealed differentially expressed mRNAs from MMCs transfected with RCN3 siRNA and NC with Z-score values. C Signaling pathway analysis of mRNAs related to RCN3 knockdown in MMCs according to IPA core analysis. D Transmission electron microscope analysis revealed ER structure of MMCs transfected with RCN3 siRNA for 24 h and then treated under NG condition for 48 h. ^*as ER structure. E The XBPμ-1/XBPs-1 ratio in MMCs transfected with RCN3 siRNA for 24 h and then treated under NG condition for 48 h was assessed using qPCR. F MMCs transfected with RCN3 siRNA for 24 h and then treated under NG condition for 48 h. G, H MMCs were transfected with RCN3 cDNA, and 24 h after transfection, the cells were treated with HG-treated HK-2 cell-derived exosomes or transfected with miR-92a-1-5p for 48 h. Western blotting analysis of ATF-6, CHOP, phospho-PERK and phospho-IRE1α expression. The bar graph represents the mean ± S.E.M. of at least three independent experiments. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001 by Student’s t-test or ANOVA followed by the post hoc test with Tukey’s correction