Circ_0040994 depletion alleviates lipopolysaccharide-induced HK2 cell injury through miR-17-5p/TRPM7 axis

Background: Sepsis is a fatal systemic inflammatory disease that causes septic acute kidney injury (AKI). In this work, we explored the roles of circ_0040994 in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced human kidney-2 (HK2) cell injury.

Methods: Circ_0040994, miR-17-5p and transient receptor potential melastatin 7 (TRPM7) expression were detected by qRT-PCR. Cell functions were examined by MTT assay, flow cytometry assay, western blot, ELISA assay, and oxidative stress assay. The molecular association was detected by dual-luciferase reporter assay.

Results: Circ_0040994 was upregulated in the serum of septic AKI patients in comparison with the serum of healthy controls. Silencing circ_0040994 enhanced cell viability but inhibited cell Apoptosis, cell inflammation and oxidative stress in LPS-triggered HK2 cells. Circ_0040994 acted as a miR-17-5p Sponge to regulate the level of TRPM7. Moreover, miR-17-5p could alleviate LPS-induced HK2 cell injury by suppressing TRPM7.

Conclusion: Circ_0040994 downregulation alleviated LPS-induced HK2 cell injury through the miR-17-5p/TRPM7 axis.

TRPM7; acute kidney injury; circ_0040994; miR-17-5p; sepsis.