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Updated: Feb 12, 2026

Tear-Derived Exosomal miR-15a as New Diagnostic Tool for Diabetic Retinopathy
Published on: December 30, 2025
Methylene Blue Attenuates Diabetic Retinopathy by Inhibiting NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation in STZ-Induced Diabetic
Jingfang Hao1, Hongkui Zhang1, Jibing Yu1
1a The Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Ningbo University , Ningbo , China.
Abstract:
Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the regulatory effects of methylene blue (MB) on diabetic retinopathy (DR) and explored the molecular mechanisms of MB as a retina protection agent. Methods: The thicknesses of retinal layers and permeability of the blood-retinal barrier (BRB) were measured by histology analysis, and the expression levels of NLRP3, ASC, procaspase-1, caspase-1, IL-1β, and IL-18 were measured by western blotting. Lentivirus-based knockdown of NLRP3 gene was used to confirm the role of NLRP3 inflammasome. Results: MB treatment attenuates DR supported by the increase of relative thicknesses of retinal layers and the reduction of BRB permeability when compared with the untreated diabetic group. Further, MB significantly downregulated the levels of all detected inflammation mediators and showed inhibition on NLRP3 inflammasome activation similar to NLRP3 gene silencing. Conclusions: This study revealed a novel mechanism underlying the protection role of MB in the pathogenesis of DR.
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