MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous short (20-22 nucleotides) non-coding RNA molecules that mediate gene expression. This is an important regulatory mechanism to modulate fundamental cellular processes such as differentiation, proliferation, death, metabolism, and pathophysiology of many diseases. The miRNA expression profile of the kidney differs greatly from that of other organs, as well as between the different regions in the kidney. In kidneys, miRNAs are indispensable for development and homeostasis. In this review, we explore the involvement of miRNAs in the regulation of blood pressure, hormone, water, and ion balance pertaining to kidney homeostasis. We also highlight their importance in renal pathophysiology, such as in polycystic disease, diabetic nephropathy, nephrogenic diabetes insipidus, hypertension, renal cancer, and kidney fibrosis (epithelial-mesenchymal transition). In addition, we highlight the need for further investigations on miRNA-based studies in the development of diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic tools for renal diseases.

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Diabetes, characterized by chronic hyperglycemia, has reached serious epidemic proportions. It is also not infrequent to find increased incidence of liver injury in diabetics and hyperglycemia plays an important role in promoting liver injury through several mechanisms. The following review identifies the pathways through which hyperglycemia causes changes in liver of various animal models and liver cell culture models, and elucidates the mechanisms and consequences of hyperglycemia induced liver injury in humans. Some of the pathways which are hyperglycemia driven include increased oxidative and nitrosative stress, activation of stress signaling pathways and increased cytokine levels, impairment of protective mechanisms such as the expression of molecular chaperones and proteosome activity, and dysregulation of glucose and lipid metabolism. Thus, hyperglycemia induced changes in the liver's cellular environment in in vitro and in vivo models have been documented extensively in the literature.

The combined oxidative insult due to alcohol plus high glucose leads to greater liver injury, which may prove to be a timely warning for the injurious effects of alcohol consumption in diabetics.