AIM: To investigate the effect of microRNA-373(miR-373)by targeting vascular endothelial growth factor A(VEGFA)on diabetic retinopathy(DR)rats.

METHODS: Totally 40 rats were randomly divided into control group(n=10)and DR group(n=30). The rats after successful modeling in DR group were divided into model group(n=10), miR-373 agomir group(n=10), and agomir-NC group(n=10). The right eyes vitreous cavity separately were injected with 200μL normal saline, miR-373 agomir(200nmol)and agomir-NC(200nmol)were treated once a week for 12wk. The expression levels of miR-373 and VEGFA mRNA in each group were detected by RT-qPCR. Dual luciferase experiment was used to verify the targeting relationship between miR-373 and VEGFA. Western-blot was used to detect VEGFA, Bcl-2 related X protein(Bax), b-cell lymphoma-2(Bcl-2), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(PI3K)and phospho phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(p-PI3K), serine threonine protein kinase(AKT), phospho serine protein kinase(p-AKT)protein expression levels.

RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the expression levels of miR-373 and Bcl-2 protein in the retina tissue of model group and agomir-NC group were significantly decreased, and the expression levels of VEGFA mRNA, Bax, p-PI3K and p-AKT protein were significantly increased. Compared with the agomir-NC group, the expression levels of miR-373 and Bcl-2 protein in the retina tissue of miR-373 agomir group were significantly increased(all P<0.05), while the expression levels of VEGFA mRNA and protein, the Bax, p-PI3K, p-AKT protein in the retina tissue of miR-373 agomir group were significantly decreased(all P<0.05). Dual luciferase assay confirmed that VEGFA is the target gene of miR-373.

CONCLUSION: miR-373 can inhibit diabetic retinopathy by targeting VEGFA, which may be related to the inhibition of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway by miR-373.