Downregulation of SIRT6 and NMNAT2 is associated with proliferative diabetic retinopathy.

Purpose: To determine the expression levels of and in diabetic retinopathy (DR).

Methods: We obtained peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and vitreous samples from 77 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: 52 with DR and 25 without DR, and 27 healthy control subjects. Western blot analysis and qRT-PCR were performed to evaluate the expression of and in their PBMCs. The levels of , , and in the vitreous fluid were determined by ELISA. Immunohistochemistry was performed to detect the expression of and 2 in proliferative DR (PDR) and the control subjects.

Results: The expression of and was markedly downregulated in DR patients, which was negatively correlated with the increased expression of and . Additionally, we observed decreased expression of and in the fibrovascular membranes of PDR patients.

Conclusions: The downregulated expression of and in PDR patients reveals a potential pathogenic association; more extended studies could verify them as potential therapeutic targets.