1. Academic Validation
  2. Macrophage metabolic reprogramming ameliorates diabetes-induced microvascular dysfunction

Macrophage metabolic reprogramming ameliorates diabetes-induced microvascular dysfunction

  • Redox Biol. 2024 Nov 29:79:103449. doi: 10.1016/j.redox.2024.103449.
Qiu-Yang Zhang 1 Hui-Ying Zhang 2 Si-Guo Feng 2 Mu-Di Yao 3 Jing-Juan Ding 2 Xiu-Miao Li 4 Rong Ye 2 Qing Liu 2 Jin Yao 5 Biao Yan 6
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 The Affiliated Eye Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210000, China; The Fourth School of Clinical Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210000, China.
  • 2 The Fourth School of Clinical Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210000, China.
  • 3 Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200080, China.
  • 4 The Affiliated Eye Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210000, China.
  • 5 The Affiliated Eye Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210000, China; The Fourth School of Clinical Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210000, China. Electronic address: jianyao1972@126.com.
  • 6 Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200080, China; Eye Institute and Department of Ophthalmology, Eye and ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200030, China. Electronic address: yanbiao@sjtu.edu.cn.
Abstract

Macrophages play an important role in the development of vascular diseases, with their homeostasis closely linked to metabolic reprogramming. This study aims to explore the role of circular RNA-mediated epigenetic remodeling in maintaining macrophage homeostasis during diabetes-induced microvascular dysfunction. We identified a circular RNA, circRNA-sperm antigen with calponin homology and coiled-coil domains 1 (cSPECC1), which is significantly up-regulated in diabetic retinas and in macrophages under diabetic stress. cSPECC1 knockdown in macrophages attenuates M1 macrophage polarization and disrupts macrophage-endothelial crosstalk in vitro. cSPECC1 knockdown in macrophages mitigates diabetes-induced retinal inflammation and ameliorates retinal vascular dysfunction. Mechanistically, cSPECC1 regulates GPX2 expression by recruiting eIF4A3, enhancing GPX2 mRNA stability and altering arachidonic acid metabolism. The metabolic intermediate 12-HETE has emerged as a key mediator, regulating both macrophage homeostasis and the crosstalk between macrophages and endothelial cells. Exogenous 12-HETE supplementation interrupts the anti-angiogenic effects of cSPECC1 knockdown. Collectively, circSPECC1 emerges as a novel regulator of macrophage-mediated vascular integrity and inflammation. Targeting the metabolic reprogramming of macrophages presents a promising therapeutic strategy for mitigating diabetes-induced vascular dysfunction.

Keywords

Circular RNAs; Diabetic retinopathy; Macrophage homeostasis; Metabolic reprogramming; Vascular dysfunction.

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