MicroRNA-183 inhibition exerts suppressive effects on diabetic retinopathy by inactivating BTG1 -mediated PI3K/Akt/VEGF signaling pathway

• Published in: American journal of physiology: endocrinology and metabolism Vol. 316; no. 6; pp. E1050 - E1060
• Main Authors: Zhang, Zhen-Zhen, Qin, Xiu-Hong, Zhang, Jing
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Physiological Society 01.06.2019
• Subjects: 1-Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase; AKT protein; Angiogenesis; Animals; Antigens, CD34 - genetics; Antigens, CD34 - metabolism; Apoptosis; CD34 antigen; Cell growth; Diabetes; Diabetes mellitus; Diabetic retinopathy; Diabetic Retinopathy - genetics; Diabetic Retinopathy - metabolism; Disease Models, Animal; DNA microarrays; Endothelial cells; Gene expression; Gene Expression Profiling; Genes; Genetic factors; Microarray Analysis; MicroRNAs; MicroRNAs - genetics; MicroRNAs - metabolism; miRNA; Molecular modelling; Neoplasm Proteins - genetics; Neoplasm Proteins - metabolism; Nitric oxide; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III - genetics; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III - metabolism; Nitric-oxide synthase; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases - genetics; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases - metabolism; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt - genetics; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt - metabolism; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Reactive oxygen species; Regulatory mechanisms (biology); Retina; Retinopathy; Ribonucleic acid; RNA; Signal Transduction; Signaling; siRNA; Vascular endothelial growth factor; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A - genetics; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A - metabolism; MiR-183; tube formation; PI3K/Akt/VEGF signaling pathway; diabetic retinopathy; vascular endothelial cell growth
• ISSN: 0193-1849; 1522-1555
• DOI: 10.1152/ajpendo.00444.2018

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a serious diabetic complication caused by both environmental and genetic factors. Molecular mechanisms of DR may lead to the discovery of reliable prognostic indicators. The current study aimed to clarify the mechanism of microRNA-183 (miR-183) in DR in relation to the PI3K/Akt/VEGF signaling pathway. Microarray-based gene expression profiling of DR was used to identify the differentially expressed genes. Sprague-Dawley rats were used for the establishment of DR models, and then miR-183 was altered by mimic or inhibitor or was downregulated by siRNA to explore the regulatory mechanism of miR-183 in DR. Furthermore, the expression of miR-183, CD34, endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), and the PI3K/Akt/VEGF signaling pathway-related genes as well as reactive oxygen species (ROS) level was determined, and the relationship between miR-183 and was also verified. Cell growth, cell apoptosis, and angiogenesis were determined. Microarray analysis revealed the involvement of miR-183 in DR via the PI3K/Akt/VEGF signaling pathway by targeting . Upregulated miR-183 and downregulated were observed in retinal tissues of DR rats. miR-183 overexpression activated the PI3K/Akt/VEGF signaling pathway, upregulated CD34, eNOS, and ROS, and inhibited was confirmed as a target gene of miR-183. miR-183 overexpression or knockdown promoted cell growth and tube formation while it suppressed cell apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells in DR rats. In this study, we demonstrated that miR-183 silencing inhibiting cell growth and tube formation in vascular endothelial cells of DR rats via the PI3K/Akt/VEGF signaling pathway by upregulating .