Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

TPTEP1 suppresses high glucose-induced dysfunction in retinal vascular endothelial cells by interacting with STAT3 and targeting VEGFA

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Acta Diabetologica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

A Correction to this article was published on 09 November 2022

This article has been updated

Abstract

Aims

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a vascular complication of diabetes mellitus that causes visual impairment and blindness. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been revealed to be involved in biological processes of several diseases including DR. We designed this study to investigate the specific role of TPTEP1 in DR.

Methods

First, we mimicked diabetic conditions with high glucose (HG) stimulation of human retinal vascular endothelial cells (HRVECs) and measured TPTEP1 expression in HG-stimulated HRVECs using RT-qPCR analysis. Then, CCK-8, Transwell, and Matrigel tube formation assays as well as western blot analysis were performed to reveal the biological functions of TPTEP1 in HG-stimulated HRVECs. Subsequently, bioinformatics analysis, RNA pull down, luciferase reporter and ChIP assays as well as western blot analysis evaluated the relationship of TPTEP1, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) in HG-stimulated HRVECs. Finally, to verify the regulation of the TPTEP1/STAT3/VEGFA axis in HG-stimulated HRVECs, rescue experiments were carried out in HG-stimulated HRVECs.

Results

TPTEP1 presented a significant downregulation in HG-stimulated HRVECs. Additionally, TPTEP1 overexpression reduced viability, migration, and angiogenesis in HG-stimulated HRVECs. Moreover, TPTEP1 suppressed phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of STAT3, and thereby downregulated VEGFA mRNA and protein levels. Furthermore, TPTEP1 overexpression-mediated suppression of HG-induced dysfunction in HRVECs was countervailed by STAT3 upregulation or VEGFA upregulation.

Conclusions

TPTEP1 alleviated HG-induced dysfunction in HRVECs via interacting with STAT3 and targeting VEGFA.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

Change history

References

  1. Pascolini D, Mariotti SP (2012) Global estimates of visual impairment: 2010. Br J Ophthalmol 96(5):614–618. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjophthalmol-2011-300539

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Cheung N, Mitchell P, Wong TY (2010) Diabetic retinopathy. Lancet 376(9735):124–136. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(09)62124-3

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Cunha-Vaz J, Bernardes R, Lobo C (2011) Blood-retinal barrier. Eur J Ophthalmol 21(Suppl 6):S3-9. https://doi.org/10.5301/ejo.2010.6049

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Klaassen I, Van Noorden CJ, Schlingemann RO (2013) Molecular basis of the inner blood-retinal barrier and its breakdown in diabetic macular edema and other pathological conditions. Prog Retin Eye Res 34:19–48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.preteyeres.2013.02.001

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Erickson KK, Sundstrom JM, Antonetti DA (2007) Vascular permeability in ocular disease and the role of tight junctions. Angiogenesis 10(2):103–117. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10456-007-9067-z

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Miyamoto N, de Kozak Y, Jeanny JC, et al. (2007) Placental growth factor-1 and epithelial haemato-retinal barrier breakdown: potential implication in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy. Diabetologia 50(2):461–470. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00125-006-0539-2

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Strauss O (2005) The retinal pigment epithelium in visual function. Physiol Rev 85(3):845–881. https://doi.org/10.1152/physrev.00021.2004

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Cunha-Vaz JG, Travassos A (1984) Breakdown of the blood-retinal barriers and cystoid macular edema. Surv Ophthalmol 28(Suppl):485–492. https://doi.org/10.1016/0039-6257(84)90230-3

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Zhu K, Hu X, Chen H, et al. (2019) Downregulation of circRNA DMNT3B contributes to diabetic retinal vascular dysfunction through targeting miR-20b-5p and BAMBI. EBioMedicine 49:341–353. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ebiom.2019.10.004

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  10. Yang WZ, Yang J, Xue LP, Xiao LB, Li Y (2017) MiR-126 overexpression inhibits high glucose-induced migration and tube formation of rhesus macaque choroid-retinal endothelial cells by obstructing VEGFA and PIK3R2. J Diabetes Complicat 31(4):653–663. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdiacomp.2016.12.004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Mei X, Zhou L, Zhang T, Lu B, Sheng Y, Ji L (2018) Chlorogenic acid attenuates diabetic retinopathy by reducing VEGF expression and inhibiting VEGF-mediated retinal neoangiogenesis. Vasc Pharmacol 101:29–37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vph.2017.11.002

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Huang Q, Sheibani N (2008) High glucose promotes retinal endothelial cell migration through activation of Src, PI3K/Akt1/eNOS, and ERKs. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 295(6):C1647-1657. https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpcell.00322.2008

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  13. Gao R, Zhu BH, Tang SB, Wang JF, Ren J (2008) Scutellarein inhibits hypoxia- and moderately-high glucose-induced proliferation and VEGF expression in human retinal endothelial cells. Acta Pharmacol Sin 29(6):707–712. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-7254.2008.00797.x

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Paraskevopoulou MD, Hatzigeorgiou AG (2016) Analyzing MiRNA-LncRNA interactions. Methods Mol Biol 1402:271–286. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-3378-5_21

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Michalik KM, You X, Manavski Y, et al. (2014) Long noncoding RNA MALAT1 regulates endothelial cell function and vessel growth. Circ Res 114(9):1389–1397. https://doi.org/10.1161/circresaha.114.303265

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Chinnappan M, Gunewardena S, Chalise P, Dhillon NK (2019) Analysis of lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA interactions in hyper-proliferative human pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells. Sci Rep 9(1):10533. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-46981-4

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  17. Tang L, Liang Y, Xie H, Yang X, Zheng G (2020) Long non-coding RNAs in cutaneous biology and proliferative skin diseases: advances and perspectives. Cell Prolif 53(1):e12698. https://doi.org/10.1111/cpr.12698

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Zhang Z, Salisbury D, Sallam T (2018) Long noncoding RNAs in atherosclerosis: JACC review topic of the week. J Am Coll Cardiol 72(19):2380–2390. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2018.08.2161

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  19. Zhang X, Zou X, Li Y, Wang Y (2019) Downregulation of lncRNA BANCR participates in the development of retinopathy among diabetic patients. Exp Ther Med 17(5):4132–4138. https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2019.7444

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  20. Luo R, Jin H, Li L, Hu YX, Xiao F (2020) Long noncoding RNA MEG3 inhibits apoptosis of retinal pigment epithelium cells induced by high glucose via the miR-93/Nrf2 axis. Am J Pathol 190(9):1813–1822. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajpath.2020.05.008

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Thomas AA, Biswas S, Feng B, Chen S, Gonder J, Chakrabarti S (2019) lncRNA H19 prevents endothelial-mesenchymal transition in diabetic retinopathy. Diabetologia 62(3):517–530. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00125-018-4797-6

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Ding H, Liu J, Zou R, Cheng P, Su Y (2019) Long non-coding RNA TPTEP1 inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma progression by suppressing STAT3 phosphorylation. J Exp Clin Cancer Res CR 38(1):189. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13046-019-1193-0

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Carlevaro-Fita J, Johnson R (2019) Global positioning system: understanding long noncoding RNAs through subcellular localization. Mol Cell 73(5):869–883. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molcel.2019.02.008

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Ding H, Zhang X, Su Y, Jia C, Dai C (2020) GNAS promotes inflammation-related hepatocellular carcinoma progression by promoting STAT3 activation. Cell Mol Biol Lett 25:8. https://doi.org/10.1186/s11658-020-00204-1

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  25. Huang Q, Zhong Y, Dong H, et al. (2020) Revisiting signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) as an anticancer target and its inhibitor discovery: where are we and where should we go? Eur J Med Chem 187:111922. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejmech.2019.111922

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Huang J, Tang L, Zhao Y, Ding W (2019) TRIM11 promotes tumor angiogenesis via activation of STAT3/VEGFA signaling in lung adenocarcinoma. Am J Cancer Res 9(9):2019–2027

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  27. Zhao J, Du P, Cui P, et al. (2018) LncRNA PVT1 promotes angiogenesis via activating the STAT3/VEGFA axis in gastric cancer. Oncogene 37(30):4094–4109. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41388-018-0250-z

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Wu X, Xiao Y, Zhou Y, Zhou Z, Yan W (2019) LncRNA FOXP4-AS1 is activated by PAX5 and promotes the growth of prostate cancer by sequestering miR-3184-5p to upregulate FOXP4. Cell Death Dis 10(7):472. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41419-019-1699-6

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  29. Nagaraju GP, Park W, Wen J, et al. (2013) Antiangiogenic effects of ganetespib in colorectal cancer mediated through inhibition of HIF-1α and STAT-3. Angiogenesis 16(4):903–917. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10456-013-9364-7

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Dong Z, Santeford A, Ban N, et al. (2019) FGF2-induced STAT3 activation regulates pathologic neovascularization. Exp Eye Res 187:107775. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exer.2019.107775

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  31. Sui H, Zhao J, Zhou L, et al. (2017) Tanshinone IIA inhibits β-catenin/VEGF-mediated angiogenesis by targeting TGF-β1 in normoxic and HIF-1α in hypoxic microenvironments in human colorectal cancer. Cancer Lett 403:86–97. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.canlet.2017.05.013

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Stitt AW, Curtis TM, Chen M, et al. (2016) The progress in understanding and treatment of diabetic retinopathy. Prog Retin Eye Res 51:156–186. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.preteyeres.2015.08.001

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Elshaer SL, Lemtalsi T, El-Remessy AB (2018) High glucose-mediated tyrosine nitration of PI3-Kinase: a molecular switch of survival and apoptosis in endothelial cells. Antioxidants. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox7040047

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  34. Terlizzi V, Kolibabka M, Burgess JK, Hammes HP, Harmsen MC (2018) The pericytic phenotype of adipose tissue-derived stromal cells is promoted by NOTCH2. Stem Cells 36(2):240–251. https://doi.org/10.1002/stem.2726

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Fu X, Ou B (2020) miR-152/LIN28B axis modulates high-glucose-induced angiogenesis in human retinal endothelial cells via VEGF signaling. J Cell Biochem 121(2):954–962. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcb.28978

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Cao F, Wang Z, Feng Y, et al. (2020) lncRNA TPTEP1 competitively sponges miR-328-5p to inhibit the proliferation of non-small cell lung cancer cells. Oncol Rep 43(5):1606–1618. https://doi.org/10.3892/or.2020.7522

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  37. Zhu M, Liu X, Wang Y, et al. (2018) YAP via interacting with STAT3 regulates VEGF-induced angiogenesis in human retinal microvascular endothelial cells. Exp Cell Res 373(1–2):155–163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yexcr.2018.10.007

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Chen LY, Wang X, Qu XL, et al. (2019) Activation of the STAT3/microRNA-21 pathway participates in angiotensin II-induced angiogenesis. J Cell Physiol 234(11):19640–19654. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcp.28564

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  39. Zheng XJ, Liu Y, Zhang WC, et al. (2019) Mineralocorticoid receptor negatively regulates angiogenesis through repression of STAT3 activity in endothelial cells. J Pathol 248(4):438–451. https://doi.org/10.1002/path.5269

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Taimeh Z, Loughran J, Birks EJ, Bolli R (2013) Vascular endothelial growth factor in heart failure. Nat Rev Cardiol 10(9):519–530. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrcardio.2013.94

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Apte RS, Chen DS, Ferrara N (2019) VEGF in signaling and disease: beyond discovery and development. Cell 176(6):1248–1264. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2019.01.021

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  42. Melincovici CS, Boşca AB, Şuşman S, et al. (2018) Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) - key factor in normal and pathological angiogenesis. Rom J Morphol Embryol Rev Roum de Morphol et Embryol 59(2):455–467

    Google Scholar 

  43. Xie J, Zhang D, Ling Y, et al. (2019) Substrate elasticity regulates vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) expression in adipose-derived stromal cells: implications for potential angiogenesis. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 175:576–585. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colsurfb.2018.08.035

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Thank you for all laboratory members involved in this study.

Funding

This work supported by Clinical Specialized Discipline of Health System of Putuo District in Shanghai (No. 2020TSZK01).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tao Lei.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that there exists no conflict of interest.

Human and animal rights

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by the any of the authors.

Ethical approval

Not applicable.

Additional information

This article belongs to the topical collection Eye Complications of Diabetes, managed by Giuseppe Querques.

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

The original online version of this article was revised: Correct version of figures tube formation assays (Figure 2D&6D) and Transwell assays (Figure 2C&6C) updated.

Supplementary Information

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Sun, X., Lu, Y. & Lei, T. TPTEP1 suppresses high glucose-induced dysfunction in retinal vascular endothelial cells by interacting with STAT3 and targeting VEGFA. Acta Diabetol 58, 759–769 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00592-020-01663-w

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00592-020-01663-w

Keywords

Navigation