MicroRNA and diabetic retinopathy-biomarkers and novel therapeutics
Zeljka Smit-McBride1, Lawrence S Morse1
1Department of Ophthalmology & Vision Science, Vitreoretinal Research Laboratory, School of Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA.
Abstract:
Diabetic retinopathy (DR) accounts for ~80% of legal blindness in persons aged 20-74 years and is associated with enormous social and health burdens. Current therapies are invasive, non-curative, and in-effective in 15-25% of DR patients. This review outlines the potential utility of microRNAs (miRNAs) as biomarkers and potential therapy for diabetic retinopathy. miRNAs are small noncoding forms of RNA that may play a role in the pathogenesis of DR by altering the level of expression of genes via single nucleotide polymorphism and regulatory loops. A majority of miRNAs are intracellular and specific intracellular microRNAs have been associated with cellular changes associated with DR. Some microRNAs are extracellular and called circulatory microRNAs. Circulatory miRNAs have been found to be differentially expressed in serum and bodily fluid in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) with and without retinopathy. Some miRNAs have been associated with the severity of DR, and future studies may reveal whether circulatory miRNAs could serve as novel reliable biomarkers to detect or predict retinopathy progression. Therapeutic strategies can be developed utilizing the natural miRNA/long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) regulatory loops. miRNAs and lncRNAs are two major families of the non-protein-coding transcripts. They are regulatory molecules for fundamental cellular processes via a variety of mechanisms, and their expression and function are tightly regulated. The recent evidence indicates a cross-talk between miRNAs and lncRNAs. Therefore, dysregulation of miRNAs and lncRNAs is critical to human disease pathogenesis, such as diabetic retinopathy. miRNAs are long-distance communicators and reprogramming agents, and they embody an entirely novel paradigm in cellular and tissue signaling and interaction. By targeting specific miRNAs, whole pathways implicated in the pathogenesis of DR may potentially be altered. Understanding the endogenous roles of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy could lead to novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to managing this frequently blinding retinal condition.
Insights
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) show promise as biomarkers and potential therapies for diabetic retinopathy (DR), a leading cause of blindness. Further research into their roles could revolutionize DR diagnosis and treatment.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a major cause of legal blindness, imposing significant health and social burdens.
- Current DR therapies are invasive, non-curative, and ineffective for a substantial portion of patients.
- MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are implicated in DR pathogenesis through gene expression regulation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the potential of microRNAs (miRNAs) as biomarkers for diabetic retinopathy (DR).
- To explore the therapeutic potential of miRNAs in managing DR.
- To understand the role of miRNA and long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) interactions in DR.
Main Methods:
- Review of current literature on miRNAs in diabetic retinopathy.
- Analysis of intracellular and extracellular miRNA expression in diabetes mellitus (DM) with and without retinopathy.
- Examination of miRNA and lncRNA regulatory networks in DR pathogenesis.
Main Results:
- Specific intracellular miRNAs are associated with DR-related cellular changes.
- Circulatory miRNAs show differential expression in DM patients with and without retinopathy.
- Some miRNAs correlate with DR severity, suggesting potential as predictive biomarkers.
Conclusions:
- MicroRNAs (miRNAs) offer potential as novel, reliable biomarkers for detecting and predicting diabetic retinopathy (DR) progression.
- Therapeutic strategies targeting miRNA/lncRNA regulatory loops could offer new avenues for DR treatment.
- Understanding miRNA roles in DR pathogenesis may lead to innovative diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for this blinding condition.
