Dissecting the Pathogenesis of Diabetic Retinopathy Based on the Biological ceRNA Network and Genome Variation Disturbance

Regulation of Long Noncoding RNA NEAT1/miR-320a/HIF-1α Competitive Endogenous RNA Regulatory Network in Diabetic Retinopathy

Purpose

To determine the mechanism that long noncoding RNA NEAT1 (lncNEAT1)/miR-320a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network regulates hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) in ARPE-19 cells and its potential role in diabetic retinopathy (DR).

Methods

ARPE-19 cells were cultured in a normal or high-glucose (HG) medium, and cell migration, invasion, and permeability were detected by scratch, transwell, and FITC-dextran staining assays. LncNEAT1, HIF-1α, ZO-1, occludin, N-cadherin, and vimentin levels were tested. The binding of lncNEAT1 to miR-320a was verified by dual-luciferase reporter assay, and the binding of miR-320a to HIF-1α by RIP assay. ARPE-19 cells were treated with lncNEAT1 or HIF-1α shRNA or miR-320a agomir to determine the activation of ANGPTL4/p-STAT3 pathway. The effect of lncNEAT1 in DR and its regulations on miR-320a and HIF-1α were determined in a rat model of DR.

Results

HG treatment promoted the migration, invasion, and permeability of ARPE-19 cells. After lncNEAT1 silencing, HIF-1α, N-cadherin, and vimentin levels were downregulated, ZO-1 and occludin levels were upregulated, and the migration, permeability, and invasion of HG-treated ARPE-19 cells were inhibited. However, HIF-1α overexpression increased N-cadherin and vimentin expression, reduced ZO-1 and occludin expression, and promoted the migration, permeability, and invasion of ARPE-19 cells. The binding of miR-320a with both lncNEAT1 and HIF-1α was predicted and confirmed. In a diabetic rat model, silencing lncNEAT1 inhibited HIF-1α/ANGPTL4/p-STAT3 pathway activation and alleviated retinopathy.

Conclusions

The lncNETA1/miR-320a/HIF-1α ceRNA network activates the ANGPTL4/p-STAT3 pathway and promotes HG-induced ARPE-19 cell invasion and migration.

Upregulation of PCED1B-AS1 in proliferative diabetic retinopathy and its involvement in retinal vascular endothelial cell proliferation

BACKGROUND

This study was to assess the diagnostic value of PCED1B-AS1 for proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) and investigate the involvement of PCED1B-AS1 in PDR.

METHODS

The vitreous and blood specimens from 37 subjects with PDR and 21 non-diabetics were examined by reverse transcription quantitative PCR to determine the PCED1B-AS1 level. The two groups were age- and gender-matched. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted to visually illustrate the diagnostic ability of PCED1B-AS1. Human retinal Müller glial cells were studied by ELISA. Proliferation and migration of human retinal microvascular endothelial cells (HRMECs) were assessed in vitro.

RESULTS

Significant increases of PCED1B-AS1 levels were observed in the vitreous samples and CD34 + VEGFR-2 + cells from blood samples of diabetic subjects with PDR, compared with those of non-diabetics. The ROC curve based on the vitreous PCED1B-AS1 levels revealed an AUC of 0.812, while the ROC curve based on the PCED1B-AS1 levels in CD34 + VEGFR-2 + cells from blood samples revealed an AUC of 0.870. In Müller cell cultures, PCED1B-AS1 siRNA significantly attenuated VEGF and MCP-1 upregulation which were induced by CoCl₂ and TNF-α. Additionally, PCED1B-AS1 siRNA attenuated VEGF-induced proliferation and migration in HRMECs.

CONCLUSION

This study revealed the potential of PCED1B-AS1 as a diagnostic biomarker for PDR. In vitro data point to the anti-angiogenic and anti-proliferation effects of PCED1B-AS1.

Integrated bioinformatics analysis for novel miRNAs markers and ceRNA network in diabetic retinopathy

In order to seek a more outstanding diagnosis and treatment of diabetic retinopathy (DR), we predicted the miRNA biomarkers of DR and explored the pathological mechanism of DR through bioinformatics analysis.

Method: Based on public omics data and databases, we investigated ncRNA (non-coding RNA) functions based on the ceRNA hypothesis.

Result: Among differentially expressed miRNAs (DE-miRNAs), hsa-miR-1179, -4797-3p and -665 may be diagnosis biomarkers of DR. Functional enrichment analysis revealed differentially expressed mRNAs (DE-mRNAs) enriched in mitochondrial transport, cellular respiration and energy derivation. 18 tissue/organ-specific expressed genes, 10 hub genes and gene cluster modules were identified. The ceRNA networks lncRNA FBXL19-AS1/miR-378f/MRPL39 and lncRNA UBL7-AS1/miR-378f/MRPL39 might be potential RNA regulatory pathways in DR.

Conclusion: Differentially expressed hsa-miR-1179, -4797-3p and -665 can be used as powerful markers for DR diagnosis, and the ceRNA network: lncRNA FBXL19-AS1/UBL7-AS1-miR-378f-MRPL39 may represent an important regulatory role in DR progression.