Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 29, 2026
Quantification of Vascular Parameters in Whole Mount Retinas of Mice with Non-Proliferative and Proliferative Retinopathies
Published on: March 12, 2022
Single-cell transcriptomic analysis reveals the antiangiogenic role of Mgarp in diabetic retinopathy
Ling Ren1, Jiao Xia2, Chang Huang1
1Eye Institute and Department of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
Introduction:
Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a common vascular complication of diabetes mellitus and a leading cause of vision loss worldwide. Endothelial cell (EC) heterogeneity has been observed in the pathogenesis of DR. Elucidating the underlying mechanisms governing EC heterogeneity may provide novel insights into EC-specific therapies for DR.
Research Design And Methods:
We used the single-cell data from the Gene Expression Omnibus database to explore EC heterogeneity between diabetic retinas and non-diabetic retinas and identify the potential genes involved in DR. CCK-8 assays, EdU assays, transwell assays, and tube formation assays were conducted to determine the role of the identified gene in angiogenic effects.
Results:
Our analysis identified three distinct EC subpopulations in retinas and revealed that Mitochondria-localized glutamic acid-rich protein (Mgarp) gene is potentially involved in the pathogenesis of DR. Silencing of Mgarp significantly suppressed the proliferation, migration, and tube formation capacities in retinal endothelial cells.
Conclusions:
This study not only offers new insights into transcriptomic heterogeneity and pathological alteration of retinal ECs but also holds the promise to pave the way for antiangiogenic therapy by targeting EC-specific gene.
