AUTHOR=Ye Qingqing , Li Lian , Shao Zhoujie , Xu Miao , Li Li , Yan Qianqian , Huang Bin , Zhao Tian 

TITLE=Association between lncRNAs in plasma exosomes and diabetic retinopathy

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Endocrinology

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/endocrinology/articles/10.3389/fendo.2022.987488

DOI=10.3389/fendo.2022.987488

ISSN=1664-2392

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Background</title><p>Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) in plasma exosomes is a potential non-invasive diagnostic biomarker for diabetic retinopathy (DR). However, the changes in plasma exosomal lncRNAs and diagnostic relevance in patients with DR patients remain unclear.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>A case–control study with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and patients with comorbid DR were enrolled, and their clinical information and blood samples were collected. Plasma exosomes were extracted, and the relative expression levels of representative differentially expressed exosomal lncRNAs were determined. A logistic regression model was used to analyze the relationships of DR with relative lncRNA expression and DR-related factors, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to evaluate the value of exosomal lncRNAs for DR diagnosis.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>Sixty-two patients with T2DM and sixty-two patients with DR were matched by age, sex, and disease duration. The fasting blood glucose concentration, glycosylated hemoglobin level (HbA<sub>1c</sub>), and relative expression of the plasma exosomal lncRNA <italic>DLX6-AS1</italic> were significantly higher in the DR group than in the T2DM group, whereas the 2-h C-peptide concentration and relative expression of the lncRNAs <italic>PRINS</italic> and <italic>FAM190A-3</italic> were lower in the DR group. After adjusting for relevant confounders, the fasting blood glucose concentration, HbA<sub>1c</sub> level, 2-h C-peptide concentration, and relative expression of lncRNA <italic>DLX6-AS1</italic>, <italic>PRINS</italic>, and <italic>FAM190A-3</italic> were found to be associated with DR. Both <italic>DLX6-AS1</italic> [area under the curve (AUC): 0.658 (0.562–0.754)], <italic>PRINS</italic> [AUC: 0.798 (0.722–0.873)], and <italic>FAM190A-3</italic> [AUC: 0.603 (0.503-0.702)] expression had predictive value for DR diagnosis. The combination of <italic>DLX6-AS1</italic> and <italic>PRINS</italic> yielded an AUC of 0.813 (0.740–0.886). In males, the combination of <italic>DLX6-AS1</italic> and <italic>PRINS</italic> yielded an AUC of 0.860 (0.780–0.940).</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusion</title><p>The fasting blood glucose concentration, HbA<sub>1c</sub> level, and exosomal <italic>DLX6-AS1</italic> expression were identified as risk factors for DR, whereas the 2-h C-peptide concentration and exosomal <italic>PRINS</italic> and <italic>FAM190A-3</italic> were identified as protective against DR. The combination of exosomal <italic>DLX6-AS1</italic> and <italic>PRINS</italic> had good diagnostic value for DR in the general population and males. More attention should be paid to the role of exosomal <italic>PRINS</italic> expression as a predictive and diagnostic DR biomarker in females.</p></sec>