Intraocular Delivery of miR-146 Inhibits Diabetes-Induced Retinal Functional Defects in Diabetic Rat Model

Previously, we showed that microRNA-146 (miR-146) is a pivotal negative feedback regulator of multiple nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) activation pathways in retinal endothelial cells (RECs). We hypothesized that miR-146 plays an important role in diabetic retinopathy (DR) by inhibiting diabetes-induced inflammatory response in the retina. The purpose of the current study is to test this hypothesis in vivo.

Lentiviruses expressing rno-miR-146a, lenti-miR-146a, and negative control oligonucleotide with scrambled sequence, lenti-miR-neg ctl, were produced. Young male Sprague-Dawley rats were injected with a single dose of streptozotocin ([STZ] 65 mg/kg) to induce diabetes. One week after diabetes, animals were injected with lentivirus intravitreally (4 μl, ∼106 CFU/mL). Three months after diabetes, retinal microvascular leakage was tested by Evans blue assay; retinal function by electroretinogram (ERG). Total RNA and protein lysate were isolated from the retina for quantitative (q)RT-PCR and Western blot analyses.

Lenti-miR-146a robustly transduced human retinal endothelial cells (HRECs) and increased the expression of miR-146a in vitro. In vivo, intravitreal injection of lenti-miR-146a increased the expression of miR-146a in the retina, while its key downstream target genes, including CARD10, IRAK1, and TRAF6, were downregulated. Intravitreal delivery of miR-146 inhibited diabetes-induced upregulation of NF-κB downstream gene, Intercellular Adhesion Molecule 1 (ICAM1), as well as microvascular leakage and retinal functional defects.

Intravitreal delivery of miR-146 inhibited diabetes-induced NF-κB activation and retinal microvascular and neuronal functional defects in a diabetic rat model.