Table 2.
Putative functions of relevant circular RNAs in diabetes mellitus and associated vascular complications.
| Circular RNA | Expression | Potential Function and Phenotype | References |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Diabetes/Glucose
Homeostasis/CVD | |||
| CDR1as/cirRS-7 | ↑ | Improves insulin secretion and transcription through inhibiting miR-7 and accelerating Myrip and Pax6 expression | [55] |
| circRNA-HIPK3 | ↑ | Regulates islet cell function by sequestering miR-124–3p and miR-338–3p and elevating Slc2a2, Akt1 and Mtpn | [57] |
| hsa_circ_0054633 | ↑ | Potential diagnostic biomarker of pre-diabetes and T2DM in peripheral blood cells | [50] |
| circRNA-WDR77 | ↑ | Regulates proliferation and migration of high glucose-induced VSMCs by affecting the expression of FGF-2 through miR-124 sponging | [52] |
| circANKRD36 | ↑ | Potential biomarker for screening chronic inflammation in patients with T2DM | [102] |
| Diabetic Cardiomyopathy | |||
| circRNA_000203 | ↑ | Exacerbates myocardial fibrosis in mouse cardiac fibroblasts via inhibiting the interaction of miR-26b-5p with the target genes | [94] |
| circRNA_010567 | ↑ | Promotes the development of diabetic cardiomyopathy through the circRNA_010567/miR-141/TGF-β1 axis | [95] |
| hsa-circ-0076631 (CACR) | ↑ | Mediates pyroptosis of diabetic cardiomyopathy by functioning as miR-214-3p sponge | [96] |
| Diabetic Nephropathy | |||
| cirRNA_15698 | ↑ | circRNA_15698/miR-185/TGF-β1 axis promoted extracellular matrix (ECM)-related protein synthesis in diabetic nephropathy progression | [71] |
| Gestational Diabetes | |||
| circ_5824, circ_3636, circ_0395 | ↓ | Suspected to be involved in the occurrence and pathogenesis of GDM | [79] |
| hsa-circRNA_0054633 | ↑ | Change in its expression in the placental villi of GDM patients may reflect its potential role in the development of GDM | [78] |
| Diabetic Retinopathy | |||
| circRNA-0005015 | ↑ | Involved in diabetes retinopathy by acting as miR-519d-3p sponge to increase the expression of its target genes, MMP-2, XIAP, and STAT3 | [64] |
| circRNA-HIPK3 | ↑ | Promotes retinal vascular disorders by blocking miR-30a-3p members function to reverse the expression of their target genes VEGF, FZD4, and WNT2 | [65] |
| cZNF609 | ↑ | Role in mediating vascular dysfunction by acting as miR-615-5p sponge | [66] |
| circRNA-cPWWP2A | ↑ | Alleviates diabetes mellitus-induced retinal vascular dysfunction by sponging miR-579 | [67] |
Abbreviations: CVD, cardiovascular disease; FZD4, frizzled class receptor 4; GDM, gestational diabetes mellitus; MYRIP, myosin VIIA and Rab interacting protein; MMP-2, matrix metalloproteinase-2; PAX6, the paired box gene 6; SLC2A2, solute carrier family 2 member 2; STAT3, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3; TGF-β, transforming growth factor-beta; VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor; T2DM, type 2 diabetes mellitus; VSMCs, vascular smooth muscle cells; WNT2, Wingless-type MMTV integration site family, member 2; XIAP, X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein; ↑, up-regulated; ↓, down-regulated.