Background: Long non-coding RNA of myocardial infarction associated transcript (lncRNA-MIAT) has a reported role in microvascular dysfunction. This study aimed to investigate the role of lncRNA-MIAT and its effects on transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) signaling in patients with diabetic retinopathy and in ARPE-19 adult retinal pigment epithelial cells in vitro.
Material/Methods: Study participants provided plasma samples and included patients with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (n=52), patients with diabetes without diabetic retinopathy (n=63), and healthy controls (n=56). Plasma levels of lncRNA-MIAT and TGF-beta 1 were detected by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. Pearson correlation analysis was performed on the plasma data, and the diagnostic relevance of plasma levels of lncRNA-MIAT for diabetic retinopathy was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Cells of the human retinal pigment epithelial cell line, ARPE-19, were cultured in high glucose with construction and transfection of a MIAT expression plasmid vector. Viability of ARPE-19 cells was detected by the MTT assay and Western blot measured the expression levels of TGF-beta 1.
Results: Plasma levels of lncRNA-MIAT were significantly increased in patients with diabetic retinopathy compared with patients with diabetes without diabetic retinopathy and with healthy controls. ARPE-19 cells cultured in a high glucose environment showed reduced cell viability and upregulation of lncRNA-MIAT expression.
Conclusions: Increased plasma levels of lncRNA-MIAT were significantly associated with the presence of diabetic retinopathy, and increased expression of lncRNA-MIAT reduced the viability of ARPE-19 cells in vitro by upregulating TGF-beta 1 signaling.
[1]Jilin Univ, Hosp 2, Dept Ophthalmol, Changchun, Jilin, Peoples R China.
[2]Jilin Univ, Hosp 1, Dept Ophthalmol, Changchun, Jilin, Peoples R China.
[3]Jilin Univ, Hosp 1, Dept Anesthesiol, Changchun, Jilin, Peoples R China.
(8.0+极速模式)