tiRNA-Val promotes angiogenesis via Sirt1–Hif-1α axis in mice with diabetic retinopathy

• Yan Xu ; Haidong Zou ^[1] ; Qi Ding ; Yuelan Zou ; Chun Tang ; Yuyu Lu ; Xun Xu
  1. [1] Shanghai Engineering Center for Visual Science and Photomedicine
• Localización: Biological Research, ISSN-e 0717-6287, ISSN 0716-9760, Nº. 55, 2022
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a specific microvascular complication arising from diabetes, and its pathogenesis is not completely understood. tRNA-derived stress-induced RNAs (tiRNAs), a new type of small noncoding RNA generated by specific cleavage of tRNAs, has become a promising target for several diseases. However, the regulatory function of tiRNAs in DR and its detailed mechanism remain unknown. Results: Here, we analyzed the tiRNA profiles of normal and DR retinal tissues. The expression level of tiRNA-Val was significantly upregulated in DR retinal tissues. Consistently, tiRNA-Val was upregulated in human retinal microvascular endothelial cells (HRMECs) under high glucose conditions. The overexpression of tiRNA-Val enhanced cell proliferation and inhibited cell apoptosis in HRMECs, but the knockdown of tiRNA-Val decreased cell proliferation and promoted cell apoptosis. Mechanistically, tiRNA-Val, derived from mature tRNA-Val with Ang cleavage, decreased Sirt1 expression level by interacting with sirt1 3’UTR, leading to the accumulation of Hif-1α, a key target for DR. In addition, subretinal injection of adeno-associated virus to knock down tiRNA-Val in DR mice ameliorated the symptoms of DR. Conclusion: tiRNA-Val enhance cell proliferation and inhibited cell apoptosis via Sirt1/Hif-1α pathway in HRMECs of DR retinal tissues.