Glucose-induced microRNA-218 suppresses the proliferation and promotes the apoptosis of human retinal pigment epithelium cells by targeting RUNX2.
Biosci Rep 2020;
39:221484. [PMID:
31830266 PMCID:
PMC6928524 DOI:
10.1042/bsr20192580]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2019] [Revised: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 12/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
MicroRNA-218 (miR-218) critical for preventing the progression of numerous diseases, including diseases of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). However, the mechanism by which miR-218 regulates the PRE in humans remains largely unknown. Our study investigated the effects of glucose-induced miR-218 expression on human RPE cells (ARPE-19), as well as its targeted regulatory effect.
METHODS
The levels of miR-218 and runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2) expression were investigated by RT-qPCR or Western blot assays. Cell viability and apoptosis were assessed by CCK-8 assays, flow cytometry, and Hoechst staining. A luciferase reporter assay was performed to determine whether Runx2 is a target gene of miR-218.
RESULTS
Our results showed that glucose up-regulated miR-218 expression, suppressed proliferation, and induced the apoptosis of ARPE-19 cells. We verified that miR-218 could inhibit the proliferation and facilitate the apoptosis of ARPE-19 cells, while inhibition of miR-218 expression produced the opposite effects. In terms of mechanism, we demonstrated that RUNX2 was a direct target of miR-218. Functional experiments showed that Runx2 served as a miR-218 target to help inhibit the proliferation and induction of apoptosis in ARPE-19 cells.
CONCLUSION
Our findings suggest the miR-218/Runx2 axis as a potential target for treating diabetic retinopathy (DR).
Collapse