Suppression of microRNA-495 alleviates high-glucose-induced retinal ganglion cell apoptosis by regulating Notch/PTEN/Akt signaling

In this study, we aimed to investigate whether miR-495 is involved in regulating HG-induced apoptosis of RGCs and reveal its possible relevance in diabetic retinopathy. We found that miR-495 was significantly upregulated in HG-treated RGCs. Downregulation of miR-495 protected RGCs against HG-induced apoptosis, whereas overexpression of miR-495 had the opposite effect. Notably, Notch1 was identified as a target gene of miR-495, as miR-495 negatively regulated Notch1 expression and the Notch signaling pathway. Moreover, downregulation of miR-495 inhibited PTEN expression while promoting Akt activation. However, knockdown of Notch1 significantly abolished the protective effect of miR-495 inhibition against HG-induced apoptosis. Overall, our study suggests that downregulation of miR-495 alleviates HG-induced apoptosis of RGCs by targeting Notch1 to regulate PTEN/Akt signaling, which provides novel insights into understanding the pathogenesis of HG-induced apoptosis of RGCs.Graphical abstract
Source: Biomedicine and Pharmacotherapy - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research