MicroRNA Regulation for Inflammasome in High Glucose-Treated ARPE-19 Cells and Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the expression of microRNA (miRNA) and inflammasome in diabetes-induced retinal cell and animal models, and to identify the role of miRNA and inflammasome in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy. To establish a diabetes-induced cell and animal model, ARPE-19 cells were treated with high glucose, and rats were administered streptozotocin (STZ), respectively. MiRNA expression was measured in the high glucose-treated ARPE-19 cells and retinas of diabetic rats using real time quantitative PCR. Western blotting was performed to measure inflammasome expression in both cell and animal models. MiR-17 was selected as the target miRNA, and following transfection of the miR-17 mimic into high glucose-treated ARPE-19 cells, inflammasome expression was measured. In high glucose-treated ARPE-19 cells, the expression of miRNAs was significantly downregulated, whereas the level of inflammasome components was significantly increased. Similarly, reduced expression of miRNAs and increased levels of inflammasome components were confirmed in the retinas of diabetic rats. Following transfection with a miR-17 mimic into high-glucose treated ARPE-19 cells, the levels of inflammasome components were significantly decreased. This study investigated the relationship between miRNA and inflammasome in diabetes-induced cell and animal models using high glucose-treated ARPE-19 cells and STZ-induced diabetic rats, respectively. The findings suggest that miRNAs suppress the inflammasome, thereby reducing the subsequent inflammatory response, indicating that miRNA and inflammasome can serve as a new therapeutic target for diabetic retinopathy.