Pro-apoptotic effects of micro-ribonucleic acid-365 on retinal neurons by targeting insulin-like growth factor-1 in diabetic rats: An in vivo and in vitro study.

AIMS/OBJECTIVE:The present study aimed to explore the effects of micro-ribonucleic acid-365 (miR-365) on apoptosis of retinal neurons by targeting insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in diabetes mellitus rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS:High glucose-induced retinal neurons were assigned into the blank (with no plasmid transfection), negative control (with plasmid transfection), anti-miR-365 (transfected miR-365 antagomir), transfected IGF-1 short hairpin RNA plasmid (sh-IGF-1) and transfected miR-365 antagomir and IGF-1 shRNA plasmid (anti-miR-365 + sh-IGF-1) groups. Proliferation and apoptosis of retinal neurons were detected by 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine assay and Hoechst 33342 staining, respectively. Expressions of miR-365, IGF-1, Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) and Bcl-2 were determined by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. A control group contained 10 healthy rats. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling staining was used to evaluate apoptosis of retinal neurons in rats. RESULTS:In the anti-miR-365 group, the apoptosis rate and Bax expression were reduced in comparison with the negative control and blank groups, whereas the sh-IGF-1 and anti-miR-365 + sh-IGF-1 groups presented an opposite trend. Compared with the normal group, expressions of miR-365 and Bax were increased, and expressions of IGF-1 and Bcl-2 were decreased, with more apoptotic cells in diabetes mellitus rat models. The sh-IGF-1 group had lower Bax expression, and higher expressions of IGF-1 and Bcl-2 with fewer apoptotic cells. Additionally, Bax expression was upregulated, expressions of IGF-1 and Bcl-2 were downregulated, and apoptotic cells were higher in the anti-miR-365 + sh-IGF-1 groups than the anti-miR-365 group. CONCLUSION:The results of the present study suggest that suppressed miR-365 increases the IGF-1 expression, leading to anti-apoptotic effects on retinal neurons in diabetic rats.

KEYWORDS: {{ getKeywords(articleDetailText.words) }}