Circular RNA RSU1 promotes retinal vascular dysfunction by regulating miR-345-3p/TAZ

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Molecular Biology
• Endocrinology

Background:

• Diabetic retinopathy is a leading cause of blindness.
• The molecular mechanisms of diabetic vascular complications are not fully understood.
• Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are implicated in vascular progression.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the role of circRSU1 in diabetic retinopathy.
• To elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms of circRSU1-mediated vascular dysfunction.
• To identify circRSU1 as a potential therapeutic target for diabetic vascular complications.

Main Methods:

• circRNA chip experiments identified circRSU1 overexpression in diabetic retinopathy patients.
• Human retinal endothelial cells were transfected with circRSU1 interference plasmids.
• Mechanistic studies involved assessing miR-345-3p sponging and TAZ levels.

Main Results:

• circRSU1 downregulation alleviated diabetic retinopathy-induced vascular dysfunction.
• Reduced circRSU1 led to decreased vascular endothelial growth factor, inflammation, and oxidative stress.
• circRSU1 upregulates TAZ by sponging miR-345-3p; TAZ downregulation reversed hyperglycemia-induced vascular dysfunction.

Conclusions:

• Overexpressed circRSU1 exacerbates diabetic vascular dysfunction by sponging miR-345-3p and increasing TAZ.
• circRSU1 represents a promising therapeutic target for managing diabetes mellitus-induced vascular complications.