Association between lncRNAs in plasma exosomes and diabetic retinopathy

Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) in plasma exosomes is a potential non-invasive diagnostic biomarker for diabetic retinopathy (DR). However, the changes in plasma exosomal lncRNAs and diagnostic relevance in patients with DR patients remain unclear.

A case-control study with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and patients with comorbid DR were enrolled, and their clinical information and blood samples were collected. Plasma exosomes were extracted, and the relative expression levels of representative differentially expressed exosomal lncRNAs were determined. A logistic regression model was used to analyze the relationships of DR with relative lncRNA expression and DR-related factors, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to evaluate the value of exosomal lncRNAs for DR diagnosis.

Sixty-two patients with T2DM and sixty-two patients with DR were matched by age, sex, and disease duration. The fasting blood glucose concentration, glycosylated hemoglobin level (HbA_1c), and relative expression of the plasma exosomal lncRNA DLX6-AS1 were significantly higher in the DR group than in the T2DM group, whereas the 2-h C-peptide concentration and relative expression of the lncRNAs PRINS and FAM190A-3 were lower in the DR group. After adjusting for relevant confounders, the fasting blood glucose concentration, HbA_1c level, 2-h C-peptide concentration, and relative expression of lncRNA DLX6-AS1, PRINS, and FAM190A-3 were found to be associated with DR. Both DLX6-AS1 [area under the curve (AUC): 0.658 (0.562-0.754)], PRINS [AUC: 0.798 (0.722-0.873)], and FAM190A-3 [AUC: 0.603 (0.503-0.702)] expression had predictive value for DR diagnosis. The combination of DLX6-AS1 and PRINS yielded an AUC of 0.813 (0.740-0.886). In males, the combination of DLX6-AS1 and PRINS yielded an AUC of 0.860 (0.780-0.940).

The fasting blood glucose concentration, HbA_1c level, and exosomal DLX6-AS1 expression were identified as risk factors for DR, whereas the 2-h C-peptide concentration and exosomal PRINS and FAM190A-3 were identified as protective against DR. The combination of exosomal DLX6-AS1 and PRINS had good diagnostic value for DR in the general population and males. More attention should be paid to the role of exosomal PRINS expression as a predictive and diagnostic DR biomarker in females.