miR-205-5p Modulates High Glucose-Induced VEGFA Levels in Diabetic Mice and ARPE-19 Cells.

Abstract

High glucose levels may cause vascular alterations in patients with diabetes, which can lead to complications such as diabetic retinopathy-an abnormal growth of retinal blood vessels. The micro-RNA miR-205-5p is known to regulate angiogenesis by modulating the expression of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGFA) in different systems. This study investigates the role of miR-205-5p in controlling VEGFA expression both in vitro and in the eye under hyperglycemic conditions. An alloxan-induced diabetic mouse model and retinal pigment epithelium human cell line (ARPE-19) were exposed to high glucose and treated with an ectopic miR-205-5p mimic. VEGFA mRNA and protein levels were assessed using qRT-PCR, Western blot, and immunocytochemistry. Additionally, human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were employed to evaluate angiogenesis. Our results show that high glucose significantly reduced miR-205-5p levels while upregulating VEGFA expression in both ARPE-19 cells and diabetic mice. The ectopic administration of miR-205-5p (via transfection or intravitreal injection) restored VEGFA levels and inhibited angiogenesis in HUVEC cultures. Based on these preliminary data, we suggest a potential therapeutic strategy against VEGFA involving miR-205-5p in proliferative eye-related vascular disorders.