Abstract

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.