Long non-coding RNA SNHG16 regulates E2F1 expression by sponging miR-20a-5p and aggravating proliferative diabetic retinopathy.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) were reported to be related to microvascular dysfunction in diabetic retinopathy (DR), but the potential mechanism remains unknown. This study was designed to elucidate the effects of lncRNA small nucleolar RNA host gene 1 (SNHG16) in proliferative DR progression. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to measure the levels of SNHG16 and miR-20a-5p from peripheral blood samples of different participants. Pearson's correlation analysis was applied to the plasma data to detect correlations between SNHG16 and miR-20a-5p. Finally, the interactions of miR-20a-5p and SNHG16 or E2F1 were assessed by luciferase reporter assays. SNHG16 and E2F1 were increased and miR-20a-5p was decreased in proliferative DR both in vivo and in vitro when compared with control or non-proliferative DR. E2F1 was identified as the target of miR-20a-5p. The miR-20a-5p interacted with SNHG16 and E2F1 and was controlled by SNHG16. The regulation of SNHG16 on E2F1 was mediated by miR-20a-5p. Cells transfected with SNHG16 overexpression plasmid markedly increased cell apoptosis and vessel-like formation, whereas the miR-20a-5p mimic partially reversed these effects. Transfection with gene silencing E2F1 plasmid rescued SNHG16 overexpression-aggravated proliferative DR. This study indicated that SNHG16 regulated E2F1 expression by sponging miR-20a-5p and aggravating proliferative DR.