MALAT1: A regulator of inflammatory cytokines in diabetic complications.

Objectives And Design: In this study, we examined the role of MALAT1, a highly conserved nuclear long non-coding RNA molecule, in chronic diabetic complications affecting the heart and kidneys using both in vitro and in vivo models: human endothelial cell culture and a Malat1 knockout mice model.

Results: Findings from our in vitro experiments demonstrated that MALAT1 was predominantly localized to nuclear speckles in endothelial cells and MALAT1 expression was significantly increased following incubation with high glucose in association with increased expression of inflammatory cytokines. As for our in vivo experiments, we used Malat1 knockout mice and wild-type controls with or without streptozotocin-induced diabetes over 2 months of follow-up, where all of our diabetic animals showed hyperglycaemia and polyuria.

miR-146a mediates inflammatory changes and fibrosis in the heart in diabetes.

Hyperglycemia induced endothelial injury is a key pathogenetic factor in diabetic cardiomyopathy. In diabetes, changes in pro-inflammatory cytokines are a key mechanism leading to cardiac fibrosis. We have previously demonstrated alteration of miR-146a in chronic diabetic complications.