Abstract:Aims:To study the protective effect of fenofibrate on diabetic retinal neurodegeneration and observe the expression of miR-26a-5p and its target gene PTEN in the retinal of diabetic mice. Methods:Diabetic mice were induced and gavaged by fenofibrate, H&E staining and transmission electron microscopy were used to observe the impairments of retinal neurons. Real-time PCR was used to examine the expreesion of miR-26a-5p, Western blotting and immunofluorescence were employed to measure the expression of phosphatase and tensin homologue(PTEN) in the retina of diabetic mice. The expression level of NF-κB (nuclear factor-κB), IL-1β (interleukin-1β) and the morphology of neural tissues were observed were examined in the retina of diabetic mice. Results:When compared with the diabetic mice, fenofibrate significantly attenuated retinal neuronal decrease and neuroretina thinning. While the level of miR-26a-5p was increased and the expression of PTEN and inflammatory factors were significantly decreased in the retina of fenofibrate threated diabetic mice(P<0.05). Conclusions: Fenofibrate protects against diabetic retinal neurodegeneration by upregulating miR-26a-5p and inhibiting PTEN, attenuating the inflammatory response and alleviating retinal cell injury.