Purpose: A majority of diabetes mellitus patients with disturbances of glucose metabolism present with vascular complications. This study aimed to explore regulatory mechanisms of miR145 and its potential target gene ANGPT2  on diabetic vasculopathy under hyperglycemia.
Methods: Based on the fact that miR145 is detected in rat aortic endothelial cells (RAECs) under hyperglycemia, RAECs were transfected with miR145 mimics/inhibitor for further confirmation. RAEC proliferation was detected with CCK8 assays, and cell apoptosis and CD34⁺-cell population with annexinV–PI staining and anti-CD34FITC on flow cytometry, respectively. Then, qPCR and Western blot were applied to detect mRNA and protein expression of ANGPT2 and involved pathway factor NFκB p65. Subsequently, dual luciferase–reporter gene analysis was utilized to verify whether miR145 acted directly upon the 3ʹUTR of ANGPT2  mRNA.
Results: The ANGPT2  gene was confirmed to be a direct target of miR145. miR145 mimics markedly downregulated the expression of ANGPT2 and NFκB p65, boosted the percentage of the CD34⁺ phenotype, and promoted proliferation and suppressed apoptosis of RAECs under hyperglycemia.
Conclusion: miR145 might regulate the viability of RAECs via targeting ANGPT2  and involving NFκB signaling to exert a protective effect on diabetic vasculature.
Keywords: diabetic vasculopathy, miR145, angiopoietin 2, ANGPT2 , rat aortic endothelial cells, RAECs, hyperglycemia