Objective To investigate the effect of long noncoding RNA nuclear paraspeckle assembly transcript 1(lncRNA NEAT1)on autophagy in membranous nephropathy(MN)and its mechanism.Methods HK-2 cells were induced by albumin to construct MN model in vitro.HK-2 cells were divided into 5 groups:control group,model group,LY294002(PI3K inhibitor)group,OV-NEAT1(NEAT1 overexpression)group and OV-NEAT1+LY294002 group.Cell proliferation was detected by CCK-8.Cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry.Expressions of autophagy and PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway-related mRNA and protein were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blotting.Results Compared with control group,the cell proliferation ability,LC3-Ⅱ and Beclin 1 mRNA levels as well as LC3-Ⅱ/Ⅰ and Beclin 1 protein expression levels in the model group were signifi-cantly decreased(all P<0.01).The apoptosis rate,LC3-Ⅰ,PI3K,Akt,mTOR mRNA and p-PI3K,p-Akt,p-mTOR protein ex-pression levels were significantly increased(all P<0.01).Compared with model group,the cell proliferation ability,LC3-Ⅱ and Beclin 1 mRNA and LC3-Ⅱ/Ⅰ and Beclin 1 protein expression levels in OV-NEAT1 group were significantly decreased(all P<0.05).The apoptosis rate,LC3-Ⅰ,PI3K,Akt,mTOR mRNA and p-PI3K,p-Akt,p-mTOR protein expression levels were sig-nificantly increased(all P<0.01).LY294002 group witnessed the opposite trend.Compared with LY294002 group,cell prolifer-ation ability,LC3-Ⅱ and Beclin 1 mRNA and LC3-Ⅱ/Ⅰ and Beclin 1 protein expression levels in OV-NEAT1+LY294002 group were significantly decreased(all P<0.05).The apoptosis rate,LC3-Ⅰ,PI3K,Akt,mTOR mRNA and p-PI3K,p-Akt,p-mTOR protein expression levels were significantly increased(all P<0.05).Conclusion lncRNA NEAT1 can inhibit albumin-induced autophagy in HK-2 cells,and the mechanism may be related to the activation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway.