TFEB attenuates hyperglycemia-induced retinal capillary endothelial cells injury via autophagy regulation

Diabetic retinopathy is a common microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus. The maintenance of retinal capillary endothelial cell homeostasis requires a complete and unobtrusive flow of autophagy because it may help combat the inflammatory response, apoptosis, and oxidative stress damage of cells in diabetes mellitus. The transcription factor EB is a master regulator of autophagy and lysosomal biogenesis, but its role in diabetic retinopathy remains unknown. This study aimed to confirm the involvement of transcription factor EB in diabetic retinopathy and explore the role of transcription factor EB in hyperglycemia-linked endothelial injury in vitro. First, the expression levels, including the nuclear location of transcription factor EB and autophagy, were reduced in diabetic retinal tissues and high glucose-treated human retinal capillary endothelial cells. Subsequently, autophagy was mediated by transcription factor EB in vitro. Moreover, transcription factor EB overexpression reversed high glucose-induced autophagy inhibition and lysosomal dysfunction and protected human retinal capillary endothelial cells from inflammation, apoptosis, and oxidative stress damage caused by high glucose treatment. Additionally, under high-glucose stimulation, the autophagy inhibitor chloroquine attenuated transcription factor EB overexpression-mediated protection, and the autophagy agonist Torin1 rescued transcription factor EB knockdown-induced damage effects. Taken together, these results suggest that transcription factor EB is involved in the development of diabetic retinopathy. In addition, transcription factor EB protects human retinal capillary endothelial cells from high glucose-induced endothelial damage via autophagy.