Hsa_circ_0000140 Mediates the Regulation of Retinal Microvascular Endothelial Function and Inflammation via Sponging miR ‐485‐5p in Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy (DR), an ocular disease resulting from retinal microvascular damage caused by diabetes, has circular RNAs playing a key regulatory role in its progression. We examine the involvement of hsa_circ_0000140 in DR progression and its molecular regulation. We evaluated hsa_circ_0000140 and miR-485-5p expression in DR clinical samples and retinal endothelial cells with RT-qPCR. Diagnostic utility was examined by ROC curve analysis. Dual luciferase assays validated the targeting interaction, while proliferation was characterized using CCK-8, migration by Transwell, and inflammatory cytokines by ELISA. Elevated levels of hsa_circ_0000140 in DR patient serum and high-glucose-treated hRMECs indicate its diagnostic potential. Functionally, this molecule enhances cell proliferation, migration, and inflammatory cytokine release. It directly targets miR-485-5p, showing an inverse correlation with this microRNA. Restoring miR-485-5p expression counteracted these pathological processes, whereas hsa_circ_0000140 overexpression suppressed miR-485-5p function. Furthermore, miR-485-5p directly bound OGT, a gene highly expressed in DR. Hsa_circ_0000140 shows promise as a DR diagnostic marker and contributes to disease progression through miR-485-5p targeting, influencing retinal vascular function and inflammatory responses.