Role of microRNAs in the modulation of diabetic retinopathy.

Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of vision loss in the working-age adults. It affects a third of diabetics. Diabetic macular edema, an advanced complication of DR, develops in nearly 7% of diabetic patients. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a novel group of non-coding small RNAs that post-transcriptionally control gene expression by promoting either degradation or translational repression of target messenger RNA. They are implicated in a large variety of physiological and pathophysiological processes, including glucose homeostasis, angiogenesis and modulation of inflammatory response. MiRNA also plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of diabetes and the related micro- and macrovascular complications. In this review we will discuss the potential role of miRNAs in diabetes and evaluate thier role in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy.