Hypermethylation of miRNA-17-92 cluster in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in diabetic retinopathy

Abstract

Background and aims: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the most common complication of diabetes. The inflammatory milieu of diabetes results in changes throughout the body. This study asked whether epigenetic changes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) reflect DR severity. Methods: PBMCs were separated from the whole blood of DR individuals using density gradient centrifugation. DNA was isolated, and methylation of micro-RNA (miR)-17-92 cluster was evaluated. Results: We observed that the miR-17-92 cluster was hypermethylated in DR individuals; specifically, this change was most remarkable with proliferative-DR (PDR). Conclusions: miR-17-92 methylation in PBMCs could help understand DR's pathogenesis and identify individuals at the risk of severe DR for early intervention.