Conclusion
Serum exosomal miR-377-3p inhibits VEGF expression to suppress retinal pigment epithelium proliferation and offers a diagnostic biomarker for DME.
Methods
Serum was collected from patients with T2D who did (n = 20) and did not have DME (n = 24). Exosomes were isolated from serum and subjected to real-time polymerase chain reaction, western blotting, luciferase reporter, and miRNA profiling analyses.
Results
VEGF was significantly upregulated in ARPE-19 cells treated with exosomes from patients with T2D and DME, compared with exosomes from patients with T2D alone. Among the top 10 downregulated miRNAs identified during exosomal miRNA profiling, miR-377-3p inhibited the expression of VEGF. Luciferase reporter assays confirmed that miR-377-3p could directly regulate VEGF expression. Receiver operating characteristic analysis identified serum exosomal miR-377-3p as a potential biomarker for DME.